/the-manifestos

Curated overview of some of the most transformative manifestos that have shaped human thought over the last 300 years.

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Why "The Manifestos"?

In a conversation between David Perell and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, Marc concluded: 'It's amazing there aren't more manifestos.'

Inspired by this, this list is created. The focus isn't on presenting personal perspectives. Instead, the aim is to offer a curated overview of some of the most transformative manifestos that have shaped human thought over the last 300 years.

The Manifestos List

The Techno-Optimist Manifesto

  • Year: 2023
  • Authors: Marc Andreessen
  • Description: The Techno-Optimist Manifesto advocates embracing technology as a driver of societal growth and a solver of real-world problems, urging individuals to become Techno-Optimists and view technology as a lever for progress and human potential realization.
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The Humanist Manifesto

The Agile Manifesto

  • Year: 2001
  • Description: This manifesto laid down the foundational principles for agile software development, advocating for adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, and continual improvement.
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The Earth Charter

  • Year: 2000
  • Description: The Earth Charter provides a global framework for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society in the 21st century. It outlines fundamental values and principles for a sustainable future.
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The Cluetrain Manifesto

  • Year: 1999
  • Authors: Rick Levine, Christopher Locke, Doc Searls, and David Weinberger
  • Description: A seminal text that foresaw the impact of the internet on markets and organizations.
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Industrial Society and Its Future

  • Year: 1995
  • Authors: Theodore Kaczynski
  • Description: Also known as the "Unabomber Manifesto," this text critiques industrial-technological society and advocates for a return to primitive living.
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The Cypherpunk Manifesto

  • Year: 1993
  • Authors: Eric Hughes
  • Description: A document advocating for the use of cryptography as a means to achieve privacy and social change.
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The GNU Manifesto

  • Year: 1985
  • Authors: Richard Stallman
  • Description: This is a key text in the free software movement, advocating for the creation and distribution of free software.
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The Green Belt Movement

  • Year: 1977
  • Description: Initiated by Wangari Maathai in Kenya, this is not a traditional written manifesto but a movement that had a transformative impact on environmental conservation and women's empowerment in Africa.
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The Gay Rights Manifesto

  • Year: 1971
  • Authors: Carl Wittman
  • Description: A document that articulated the aspirations and challenges of the gay rights movement in the early 70s.
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The SCUM Manifesto

  • Year: 1967
  • Authors: Valerie Solanas
  • Description: A radical feminist manifesto that critiques patriarchy and advocates for the elimination of the male sex.
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The Feminine Mystique

  • Year: 1963
  • Authors: Betty Friedan
  • Description: While more of a book than a manifesto, it sparked the second wave of feminism in the United States.
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I Have a Dream

  • Year: 1963
  • Authors: Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Description: Although not a manifesto in the traditional sense, this speech served as a powerful articulation of the civil rights movement's goals in the United States.
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The Port Huron Statement

  • Year: 1962
  • Authors: Tom Hayden
  • Description: A key text for the American New Left, advocating for participatory democracy and critiquing institutional power.
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The Conscience of a Conservative

  • Year: 1960
  • Authors: Barry Goldwater
  • Description: A significant text in the American conservative movement, articulating conservative political philosophy.
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The Sharon Statement

  • Year: 1960
  • Authors: M. Stanton Evans
  • Description: A declaration of principles for the Young Americans for Freedom, articulating a conservative and libertarian political philosophy.
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The Russell-Einstein Manifesto

  • Year: 1955
  • Authors: Bertrand Russell, Endorsed by Albert Einstein
  • Description: This manifesto highlighted the dangers of nuclear weapons during the Cold War era.
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The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

  • Year: 1948
  • Description: While not a manifesto per se, it's a crucial document that sets out fundamental human rights to be universally protected.
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The Charter of the United Nations

  • Year: 1945
  • Description: This isn't a manifesto in the traditional sense, but it's a significant document that established the United Nations and its principles, which have had a substantial impact on international relations since World War II.
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Mein Kampf

  • Year: 1925
  • Authors: Adolf Hitler
  • Description: Though notorious, this manifesto outlined Hitler's ideological blueprint, which had a profound and devastating impact on 20th-century history.
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Surrealist Manifesto

  • Year: 1924
  • Authors: AndrĂ© Breton
  • Description: A foundational text for the Surrealist movement, encouraging the liberation of the human mind from rational constraints.
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The Fascist Manifesto

  • Year: 1919
  • Authors: Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, Alceste De Ambris
  • Description: This manifesto laid out the ideological foundation for Fascism in Italy, which had a notable impact on 20th-century history.
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The Futurist Manifesto

  • Year: 1909
  • Authors: Filippo Tommaso Marinetti
  • Description: This document launched the Futurist movement, advocating for a rejection of the past and a celebration of speed, machinery, violence, and industry.
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The October Manifesto

  • Year: 1905
  • Authors: Tsar Nicholas II of Russia
  • Description: A significant document in Russian history, the October Manifesto granted basic civil liberties and created a parliamentary body in response to widespread social unrest.
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The Zionist Manifesto

  • Year: 1896
  • Authors: Theodor Herzl
  • Description: Herzl's book acted as a manifesto for the Zionist movement, advocating for the establishment of a Jewish state and leading to the eventual creation of Israel.
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Anarchist Manifesto

  • Year: 1850
  • Authors: Anselme Bellegarrigue
  • Description: One of the earliest expressions of anarchist thought.
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Seneca Falls Declaration

  • Year: 1848
  • Description: A key document in the women's rights movement in the United States, outlining the societal and political grievances faced by women.
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The Communist Manifesto

  • Year: 1848
  • Authors: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
  • Description: This is a foundational document for the communist movement, outlining the theory of historical materialism and the struggle between classes.
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Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

  • Year: 1789
  • Description: A fundamental document during the French Revolution, it articulates the principles of individual freedom and equality in law.
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Declaration of Independence

  • Year: 1776
  • Authors: Thomas Jefferson
  • Description: An emblematic document that declared the thirteen American colonies' independence from Great Britain.
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