For three decades, progressives have reviled supply-side economics without ever offering a powerful alternate theory. In this issue of Democracy, we do just that. We argue that the time is ripe for progressives to take up “middle-out economics” as the definitive retort to trickle-down economics. Middle-out economics contends that prosperity doesn’t trickle down from the top, but flows in a virtuous cycle from the middle out.

In our centerpiece symposium, we invited Eric Liu and Nick Hanauer, Neera Tanden, Eric Beinhocker, Bruce Bartlett, Mona Sutphen, and Heather Boushey, among others, to lay out the middle-out agenda.

Also in the issue: Rich Yeselson, a veteran of the labor movement, calls for a new approach for unions. Jason Bordoff, fresh off a stint as an adviser to President Obama, presents a comprehensive plan to revamp and modernize our energy infrastructure. Author and journalist Timothy Noah takes on Jonathan Haidt’s contention from our previous issue that economic issues are now just another theater in the culture war.

Elsewhere: Marc Lynch on the Muslim Brotherhood. Chrystia Freeland on how our corporate elites have changed. James Mann on Hillary Clinton’s stint as secretary of state. Kareem U. Crayton on the New South. And Jordan Michael Smith on Vital Center liberalism.