The essay contends that Britain has drifted from its historic spirit of collective ambition – one seen in Victorian-era infrastructure and post-war social reforms – into a stagnation economy reliant on ‘inherited infrastructure’ and rent seeking, with much of its housing predating 1945. It warns that policy framed around managed declined and zero-sum scarcity suffocates innovation, limits social mobility, and weakens national dynamism. Instead, the authors advocate for rekindling a progressive growth mindset: bold investment in clean energy, housing, technology, and civic infrastructure, paired with a vibrant policy ecosystem that mirrors Britain’s legacy of turning prosperity into public good.