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“Those guys” are California YIMBY. The Stripe brothers for example are major funders.[1] One of the “California Forever” billionaires, Patrick Collison, CEO of

“Those guys” are California YIMBY. The Stripe brothers for example are major funders.[1] One of the “California Forever” billionaires, Patrick Collison, CEO of Stripe, looms large in Abundance world. Along with Open Philanthropy, he donated to fund a $120 million “Abundance” grant tied to Klein’s book release. Collison is a key backer and inspiration for the Institute for Progress (IFP), a think tank which works closely with others in the Abundance network, including at the Abundance 2024 conference. Collison co-founded “Progress Studies” with economist Tyler Cowen, born from their Atlantic article, “We Need a New Science of Progress.” While IFP isn’t officially a “Progress Studies” think tank, its mission aligns closely, and it has received funding from both Collison and Emergent Ventures, Cowen’s Mercatus Center grant program established with funding from Thiel. Klein and Thompson were interviewed by Collison on their book tour. Cowen has his own interest in Network State style projects. Balaji Srinivasan, a cryptocurrency billionaire and Próspera funder, defines a Network State as “a highly aligned online community with a capacity for collective action that crowdfunds territory around the world.” In this alternative governance structure, tech elites would create private, blockchain based enclaves—Srinivasan calls this “tech zionism.” Network States are founded on empty land, or by taking over an existing city—as Network State evangelists have attempted in San Francisco. Srinivasan even called for “ethnically cleansing” San Francisco of non-tech people. Cowen is an early backer of Praxis, alongside Srinivasan and Thiel. Praxis describes itself as “a grassroots movement of modern pioneers,” aiming to build an autonomous, cryptocurrency city. Initial plans proposed a Mediterranean location, but last fall, the Praxis CEO tweeted “I went to Greenland to try to buy it.” Greenland, however, reiterated that the country is not for sale. Cowen has been a protégé and friend of Thiel’s, citing him as a major influence. He advocates a form of government called “State Capacity Libertarianism” which, unlike anarcho-capitalism, includes a strong state apparatus. In Cowen’s words: “a good strong state should see the maintenance and extension of capitalism as one of its primary duties, in many cases its #1 duty.” He explicitly credits Thiel for inspiring this idea: “You will note the influence of Peter Thiel on State Capacity Libertarianism,” Cowen writes, “though I have never heard him frame the issues in this way.” [1] https://www.housingisahumanright.org/why-is-california-yimby-hiding-the-names-of-big-money-contributors/ https://www.housingisahumanright.org/why-is-california-yimby...

jeffbee 1y ago
Didn't you just fall into exactly the trap I tried to tell you about? If Donald Trump himself gives five dollars to CA YIMBY, does that poison the YIMBY agenda? What are the actual policy proposals of Abundance advocates? What is CA YIMBY's 2025 legislative agenda?
- abalone 1y ago
  The Donald Trump in this analogy is.. Patrick Collison? And the “five dollars” is $120M? Your premise is these right-wing anti democratic ideologues are on the fringes of the YIMBY movement. That is not supported by the facts. I quoted just one passage demonstrating the literal partnership between a major tech leader / CA YIMBY / Abundance funder and a Peter Thiel funded right wing “Libertarian” with dark visions of police city states. They are not at the fringes, they are at the heart of it and provide the major funding for it.
  - jeffbee 1y ago
    You have no idea what the YIMBY legislative agenda is, do you? For example out of these hundreds of bills, which do you accuse of being the descendant of the influence of Peter Thiel et al? https://alfredtwu.medium.com/2024-california-housing-legislation-highlights-bill-tracker-10dfbb23a188 https://alfredtwu.medium.com/2024-california-housing-legisla...
    - abalone 1y ago
      I do, and they are notable for their lack of advancement of social housing, the number one solution internationally for affordable housing for all people. But you’re avoiding the thesis of the article which is that the core funders of the YIMBY movement are more broadly involved in right-leaning politics — not just fringe thinkers. >What began as the Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) project’s narrow focus on zoning reform evolved into a sweeping pro-growth, neoliberal, and socially moderate brand of politics. “Abundance!” now serves as a rallying cry for a new kind of Democrat: techno-optimistic, skeptical of government, and supportive of a welfare state only when it comes with harsh restrictions. There was a time when progressive social housing and market rate development advocates were united against NIMBY zoning rules. But these more conservative forces have come to dominate Yimby (through enormous amounts of funding) and direct its ire more generally against progressives that see oligarchy, not just zoning, as the primary problem in our society.

jeffbee 1y ago

Didn't you just fall into exactly the trap I tried to tell you about? If Donald Trump himself gives five dollars to CA YIMBY, does that poison the YIMBY agenda? What are the actual policy proposals of Abundance advocates? What is CA YIMBY's 2025 legislative agenda?

abalone 1y ago
The Donald Trump in this analogy is.. Patrick Collison? And the “five dollars” is $120M? Your premise is these right-wing anti democratic ideologues are on the fringes of the YIMBY movement. That is not supported by the facts. I quoted just one passage demonstrating the literal partnership between a major tech leader / CA YIMBY / Abundance funder and a Peter Thiel funded right wing “Libertarian” with dark visions of police city states. They are not at the fringes, they are at the heart of it and provide the major funding for it.
- jeffbee 1y ago
  You have no idea what the YIMBY legislative agenda is, do you? For example out of these hundreds of bills, which do you accuse of being the descendant of the influence of Peter Thiel et al? https://alfredtwu.medium.com/2024-california-housing-legislation-highlights-bill-tracker-10dfbb23a188 https://alfredtwu.medium.com/2024-california-housing-legisla...
  - abalone 1y ago
    I do, and they are notable for their lack of advancement of social housing, the number one solution internationally for affordable housing for all people. But you’re avoiding the thesis of the article which is that the core funders of the YIMBY movement are more broadly involved in right-leaning politics — not just fringe thinkers. >What began as the Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) project’s narrow focus on zoning reform evolved into a sweeping pro-growth, neoliberal, and socially moderate brand of politics. “Abundance!” now serves as a rallying cry for a new kind of Democrat: techno-optimistic, skeptical of government, and supportive of a welfare state only when it comes with harsh restrictions. There was a time when progressive social housing and market rate development advocates were united against NIMBY zoning rules. But these more conservative forces have come to dominate Yimby (through enormous amounts of funding) and direct its ire more generally against progressives that see oligarchy, not just zoning, as the primary problem in our society.