Confronting Capitalism: Abundance Needs Socialism

Over the past year, Democrats have learned to embrace economic abundance thanks to Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson’s bestselling book. But is this the same kind of abundance the Left has traditionally argued for?

In this episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber is joined by Matt Huber, co-author alongside Fred Stafford and Leigh Phillips of a new Catalyst essay titled “The Left Has Always Fought for Abundance.” Together, they discuss the need for an energy infrastructure build out, the historic origins of stagnant state capacity, and what socialist abundance entails.

Read the essay here: https://catalyst-journal.com/2025/12/the-left-has-always-fought-for-abundance

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Confronting Capitalism with Vivek Chibber is produced by Catalyst: A Journal of Theory and Strategy and published by Jacobin. Music by Zonkey.