The Vital Center

Why nothing works, with Marc Dunkelman

Feb 20, 2025
In a riveting discussion, Marc Dunkelman, a fellow at Brown University and author of 'Why Nothing Works', explores the stagnation in American progress and governance. He reflects on the tragic fate of Pennsylvania Station as a symbol of lost ambition. His journey highlights the decline of middle-tier relationships in communities, the bureaucratic failures behind iconic projects like the Woolman Rink, and the urgent need for progressives to redefine their strategies to rebuild public trust and address complex societal issues.
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INSIGHT

America's Stagnation Problem

  • America increasingly cannot accomplish big things, leading to political stagnation.
  • Public dissatisfaction arises from daily failures like housing, border security, and homelessness.
INSIGHT

Missing Middle-Ring Relationships

  • Middle-ring social relationships—familiar but not intimate ties—have weakened in America.
  • This loss harms community trust and political understanding across differing views.
INSIGHT

Dual Impulses in Progressivism

  • Progressivism contains two conflicting impulses about power: one to empower centralized institutions, the other to return power to individuals.
  • These impulses, labelled Hamiltonian and Jeffersonian, often cause internal tension and paralysis within the movement.
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