A manifesto is a written declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual, group, political party, or government.[1][2][3][4] A manifesto usually accepts a previously published opinion or public consensus or promotes a new idea with prescriptive notions for carrying out changes the author believes should be made. It often is political, social or artistic in nature, sometimes revolutionary, but may present an individual's life stance. Manifestos relating to religious belief are generally referred to as creeds or confessions of faith.
Etymology
It is derived from the Italian word manifesto, itself derived from the Latin manifestum, meaning clear or conspicuous. Its first recorded use in English is from 1620, in Nathaniel Brent's translation of Paolo Sarpi's History of the Council of Trent: "To this citation he made answer by a Manifesto" (p. 102). Similarly, "They were so farre surprised with his Manifesto, that they would never suffer it to be published" (p. 103).[5]
Examples
- The Communist Manifesto (1848) – outlined the principles of communism and called for the overthrow of capitalism. Controversial since its publication, it has been a hugely influential document in the history of socialism and communism. [6]
- Port Huron Statement (1962) – the left-wing Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) called for greater democracy, individual freedom, and social justice, and helped to inspire a generation of young activists in the United States.[7]
- Unabomber Manifesto (1995) by Theodore John Kaczynski – blames technology for destroying human-scale communities, destroying nature, suppressing individual freedoms, and calls for the overthrow of modern technological economies.[8]
See also
References
- ↑ Merriam-Webster online dictionary definition of Manifesto Archived August 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "SEOphonist | die SEOphonisten Wahl 2013" (in German). Archived from the original on September 12, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013., article on "Wahlprogramm", literally "election programme".
- ↑ Dictionary.com definition of Manifesto Archived August 6, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ David Robertson, The Routledge Dictionary of Politics, Edition 3, Psychology Press, 1890 p. 295 Archived April 25, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, ISBN 0415323770, 9780415323772
- ↑ Oxford English Dictionary
- ↑ The Communist Manifesto-PDF version
- ↑ Port Huron Statement
- ↑ "washingtonpost.com: Unabomber Special Report". www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
External links
- 100 Artists' Manifestos. Danchev, Alex. London: Penguin. 2011. ISBN 9780141191799. OCLC 660519141.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - British political party manifesto archives, 1900–present: Labour, Conservative, Liberal/SDP/Liberal Democrat