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
A Techno-Industrialist Manifesto
- Year: 2024
- Authors: Aaron Slodov
- Description The Techno-Industrialist Manifesto emphasizes the imperative of enhancing manufacturing through technology to make it better, cheaper, and faster. It advocates for a future where creating physical objects is as straightforward as developing software, underscoring the potential of technology to revolutionize the production landscape.
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Special address by Javier Milei, President of Argentina
- Year: 2024
- Authors: Javier Milei
- Description In his speech at the World Economic Forum, Javier Milei presents a critique of global economic policies and advocates for more libertarian economic principles. His discourse challenges mainstream economic thought, emphasizing individual liberty, free market dynamics, and minimal government intervention as keys to fostering economic growth and societal well-being.
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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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What happened to the future? - Founders Fund Manifesto
- Year: 2017
- Authors: Bruce Gibney
- Description: This manifesto discusses the challenges and shifts within the venture capital industry, emphasizing the need for investing in transformative technologies rather than incremental innovations, to achieve substantial returns and drive genuine technological advancement.
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The Humanist Manifesto
- Year: 1933 (I), 1973 (II), 2003 (III)
- Description: The Humanist Manifestos are a series of statements outlining the philosophy of modern Humanism in its various iterations. They advocate for a human-centered ethical framework, secularism, and social justice.
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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: André 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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