Why do major infrastructure projects in many Western democracies take decades to complete, while other countries appear able to build and expand at a much faster pace?

In a new essay in Svenska Dagbladet’s long-running Under strecket series, Karl Wennberg, Professor of Business Administration at the Stockholm School of Economics and Scientific Director of the House of Governance and Public Policy (GaPP), examines this question through two recently published books: Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson and Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer the Future by Dan Wang.

The essay explores how institutional structures, regulatory complexity, and political processes shape societies’ capacity to implement large-scale infrastructure and development projects. While democratic systems emphasize accountability, participation, and legal safeguards, these same mechanisms can also create barriers to coordinated action and long-term planning.

Drawing on insights from the two books, Wennberg highlights a growing debate about state capacity - the ability of governments to translate political decisions into tangible outcomes such as housing, energy systems, and transportation infrastructure. The discussion raises broader questions about how democratic societies can balance transparency and participation with the need to address major societal challenges.

The article is part of Under strecket, Svenska Dagbladet’s daily essay series, which has published in-depth reflections on culture, science, and society since 1918.

Read the full essay (in Swedish):
https://www.svd.se/a/7p6JWo/recension-abundance-av-ezra-klein-derek-thompson-och-breakneck-av-dan-wang