Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress—and How to Bring It Back

Marc J. Dunkelman

Feb 2025 · Sold by PublicAffairs

About this ebook

A provocative exploration of the forces that keep us from getting things done, and how we can restore confidence in government

“Dunkelman summarizes the history perfectly.” —David Brooks, The New York Times

Named a Best Book of the Year by Financial Times • The Economist

America was once a country that did big things. But today, even while facing a host of pressing challenges—a housing shortage, a climate crisis, dilapidated infrastructure—we feel stuck. As Marc J. Dunkelman reveals, America is the victim of a vetocracy that allows nearly anyone to stifle progress. While conservatives deserve some blame, progressives have overlooked an unlikely culprit: their own fears of “The Establishment.” A half century ago, reformers began to put speaking truth to power ahead of exercising that power for good. Now, the ensuing gridlock has pummeled faith in public institutions of all sorts and opened the door for MAGA-style populism. Why Nothing Works uncovers the roots of this predicament, and boldly shows how progressives can once again build a better future for all.

About the author

Marc J. Dunkelman is a fellow at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs and a former fellow at NYU’s Marron Institute of Urban Management. During more than a decade working in politics, he worked for Democratic members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives and as a senior fellow at the Clinton Foundation. He is author of The Vanishing Neighbor, and his work has also appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Atlantic, and Politico. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island.