Theory of Change Podcast With Matthew Sheffield ‘Abundance’ is neoliberalism redux
Episode Summary
Whether it’s the SwiftBoat Veterans or Moms for Tyranny, right-wing groups are notorious for popping up overnight in American politics, but this past year saw something very unexpected, an organization and collection of people saying they support a politics of “abundance” headed by people who are often perceived as being on the leftward side of the political spectrum, writers Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein.
With its unhealthy obsession with bipartisanship, abundance politics is yet another example of pathological liberalism, but unfortunately, it’s worse than that. Scratch even a bit beneath the surface and you’ll realize that this endeavor is nothing more than neoliberalism rebranded—and paid for by the same reactionary billionaires who are bankrolling Donald Trump’s fascistic policies.
Even worse, far-right activists are using the “abundance” branding as an attempt to market policies that harm Americans and democracy. The guest list at the Abundance Conference in DC earlier in September made this clear, featuring a speaker calling for “deportation abundance,” a governor who banned fluoride in public water, and a talk from an advocate of Trump’s illegal “Alligator Alcatraz” immigrant prison.
Warmed-over libertarianism is not the answer to what ails America, but it is nonetheless the case that governments at the federal, state, and local levels are failing to serve the public in many ways. It’s too difficult to start businesses, it’s too difficult to receive public assistance, and it’s far too expensive to get college degrees.
Kate Willett, my guest on today’s episode, has done the hard work of digging into the funding and the origins of the Abundance movement. She’s also a standup comedian and the co-host of the Dystopia Now podcast.
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Audio Chapters
00:00 — Introduction
07:14 — Major ‘abundance’ figures and the perpetual influence of libertarianism
11:49 — Abundance is the libertarian attempt to re-brand neoliberalism
15:41 — Silicon Valley billionaires have rejected ‘small government’ approach
18:55 — The religious nature of techno-post-libertarianism
24:31 — Peter Thiel’s Antichrist obsession and René Girard
29:21 — ‘Dark Abundance,’ an explicit attempt to include fascism in the movement
39:24 — How corporate interests hijack positive YIMBY movements
43:43 — Building effective political coalitions
48:59 — Toward a fusionist left policies
Audio Transcript
Available only to paid subscribers