Steve Teles, a Senior Fellow at the Niskanen Center and professor at Johns Hopkins University, dives into the future of the abundance agenda. He reveals the contrast between his 'captured economy' thesis and left populist critiques of corporate power. The discussion spans power dynamics in economic abundance, the impact of historical optimism on central planning, and the tensions between right and left factions in the movement. Teles also critiques higher education's role and introduces the provocative idea of 'dark abundance' shaping political narratives.
50:47
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
insights INSIGHT
Abundance as a New Political Axis
The abundance agenda offers a fresh political dimension separate from traditional left-right conflicts.
It prioritizes solving supply constraints rather than zero-sum redistribution debates.
insights INSIGHT
Power in Supply Constraints
Supply constraints are sustained by diverse identified rent-seeking interests, not just monolithic corporations.
Political organizing must address these domain-specific concentrated power structures to achieve progress.
insights INSIGHT
Beyond Climate in Abundance
The abundance agenda is distinct from traditional left-right politics and needs broader issues than just climate to mobilize.
Energy super abundance, beyond just green energy, is critical for creating new industries and growth.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
In this book, Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler present a contrarian view that the future is brighter than commonly perceived. They document how exponential technologies, DIY innovators, technophilanthropists, and the rising billion (the world's poor empowered by modern communication technology) are conspiring to solve global problems such as access to clean water, food, energy, healthcare, education, and freedom. The authors provide examples and strategic roadmaps for governments, industries, and entrepreneurs to address these challenges, offering a optimistic outlook on the potential for technological innovation to improve human living standards[2][4][5].
The Captured Economy
The Captured Economy
Steven Teles
Red Plenty
Francis Spufford
Francis Spufford's "Red Plenty" is a work of historical fiction that explores the Soviet Union's ambitious quest for economic abundance during the Khrushchev era. The narrative weaves together fictional characters with real historical figures, offering a nuanced portrayal of the era's complexities. Spufford masterfully blends factual events with imaginative storytelling, creating a compelling narrative that challenges traditional historical accounts. The book delves into the Soviet Union's attempts to implement cybernetics and mathematical planning to improve economic efficiency, highlighting the inherent challenges of a centrally planned economy. Ultimately, "Red Plenty" offers a thought-provoking exploration of the Soviet dream and its ultimate failure.
Steve Teles, Niskanen Center Senior Fellow and Johns Hopkins University professor, returns to The Realignment. Marshall and Steve discuss the abundance agenda's future prospects, takeaways from the book tour, the left populist response to abundance, the differences between Steve's "captured economy" thesis and left concerns that abundance is too disinterested in corporate power and big money, and the prospects for right-wing, "dark abundance," during and after the Trump administration.
The Realignment 
