In One Billion Americans, journalist Matthew Yglesias argues that the United States could and should have way more citizens.
Published in September 2020, I wonder if Yglesias should have waited another decade? Was One Billion Americans published too soon?
Since then:
- On housing, YIMBYism is having a moment — NYT ran a piece on “The Surprising Left-Right Alliance” to build more housing
- On climate, optimism is increasing — the head of the UN’s IPCC says “we should not despair and fall into a state of shock” if 1.5C happens
- For investment, there’s energy — venture capitalists say “It’s Time to Build (April 2020 but it takes a while to finish a book)
- With geopolitics, it’s more top of mind — “Americans are increasingly worried about China-Taiwan tensions” according to Pew
- For pro-natalism, it’s mainstream — earning a series on Ezra Klein’s podcast
On the one hand, this makes Yglesias look quite prescient. But a book that argues for a set of policy positions might be most impactful closer to the peak popularity of those ideas?