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A review by realadhdoug
Utopia for Realists: How We Can Build the Ideal World by Rutger Bregman
4.5
I really enjoyed this book and found it generally does what it sets out to do—propose a number of simple, realistic (however provocative) solutions to global economic inequality. Specifically, he advocates for universal basic income, a 15-hour work week, and open borders. He then gives loads of historical context, empirical research, and anecdotal examples supporting the claim that these endeavors are not only incredibly beneficial but also surprisingly plausible.
The author writes in a straightforward and accessible way. I was able to follow, even though I’m not super familiar with a lot of what he’s talking about. The one gripe I would have is that I was sometimes unable to tell how a particular story he was telling related to his larger point. Generally speaking, though, I think he stayed on point.
If I were to title this book, I would call it “A Realistic Utopia for Idealists.” It does a great job at articulating how these seemingly impossible ideas would actually be very easy to implement. What he sort of glosses over and drastically underestimates is the colossal political will that economic elites have to maintain the status quo. After COVID happened and everyone has just fallen back in line four years later, I’m convinced there’s no shock large enough that could sufficiently push us in this direction. But, who knows? I hope I’m wrong.
The author writes in a straightforward and accessible way. I was able to follow, even though I’m not super familiar with a lot of what he’s talking about. The one gripe I would have is that I was sometimes unable to tell how a particular story he was telling related to his larger point. Generally speaking, though, I think he stayed on point.
If I were to title this book, I would call it “A Realistic Utopia for Idealists.” It does a great job at articulating how these seemingly impossible ideas would actually be very easy to implement. What he sort of glosses over and drastically underestimates is the colossal political will that economic elites have to maintain the status quo. After COVID happened and everyone has just fallen back in line four years later, I’m convinced there’s no shock large enough that could sufficiently push us in this direction. But, who knows? I hope I’m wrong.