The History of Ideas: Equality, Justice and Revolution

by David Runciman

In this bold new follow-up to Confronting Leviathan, David Runciman unmasks modern politics and reveals the great men and women of ideas behind it.

What can Samuel Butler's ideas teach us about the oddity of how we choose to organise our societies? How did Frederick Douglass not only expose the horrors of slavery, but champion a new approach to abolishing it? Why should we tolerate snobbery, betrayal and hypocrisy, as Judith Shklar suggested? And what does Friedrich Nietzsche predict for our future?

From Rousseau to Rawls, fascism to feminism and pleasure to anarchy, this is a mind-bending tour through the history of ideas which will forever change your view of politics today.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, History, Politics, Political Science, The World

315 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 4, 2024

About the author

David Runciman teaches politics at Cambridge.

He writes regularly about politics and current affairs for a wide range of publications including the London Review of Books. The author of several books, he also hosted the widely-acclaimed podcast Talking Politics, along with the series ‘History of Ideas’. Past Present Future* is his new weekly podcast, where he is exploring the history of ideas from politics to philosophy, culture to technology.

*Ideas from the past, questions about the present, shaping the future.

Reviews

[Anisia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed every single page, especially the analysis on Schmitt, which is quite well done. Would highly recommend it.

[Cassandra C · Rating 3 out of 5]

An accessible and interesting overview of some important ideas/thinkers from history, including Rousseau, Nietzsche, and de Beauvoir.

[Tobias Cantoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this relatively brief but compelling book, David Runciman synopsises and appraises a series of key thinkers from the last few centuries of human history, and their various concepts of the world as it is and should be.

Runciman’s treatment of these thinkers is dispassionate and balanced, such that his personal politics is indiscernible. He takes each of the thinkers and their ideas seriously, and draws out underlying themes. His analysis is also, generally speaking, pitched at a level which is accessible to anyone with more than a casual interest in anthropology, politics, philosophy and history, reinforced by a singular conversational yet academic tone.

This primer is an interesting and easy read, betraying Runciman’s mastery of the subject matter.

[sofia! · Rating 3 out of 5]

accessible and very interesting, taught me enough to hold a conversation with people who are much more knowledgeable than me about all of these topics
also got me to add some good stuff to my reading list, I feel like I'll be more likely to read these denser works now that I have the gist on what they're all about
but – Runciman's counterarguments were sometimes shallow and a little bit silly, it took a bit out of the reading experience; his delivery could also be a bit awkward, this was the case especially when it felt like he was trying to make an impactful closing statement
i think it's only natural that in an "introduction" sort of book with a scope that spans out so broadly that the author will feel a bit uncomfortable when discussing certain subject matters, especially those that pertain less to their field of expertise
in this book that was evident when Runciman tried to challenge Douglass or de Beauvoir's ideas for example – simultaneously by trying not to overstep while ignoring some specific sensitivities of their philosophies
I also was a bit irked by the Luxembourg section in a way that I cannot put a specific finger on, I just had the feeling like Runciman, although unconsciously, I believe, was slightly condescending whilst unnaturally praising her? The best way to describe it is just awkward
(it's sad because it does come across like he cared about handling the gender and race concerns well, but as de Beauvoir would agree with sometimes it's just something embedded into the male brain that is almost impossible to stray away from, their very own patriarchal prison)

Runciman's best delivered chapters were definitely on Butler, Bentham, or Rousseau, super interesting discussions and relevant applications to our modern life
I don't want to make it seem like I didn't enjoy the reading experience, there were lots of fascinating little pearls of knowledge sprinkled over the book (but I do credit the original writers with that fact over Runciman sorry whoops)

[Riet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geen makkelijk boek, maar wel heel leerzaam en interessant. Aan de hand van een aantal belangrijke filosofen, te beginnen bij Rousseau en eindigend bij een (mij onbekende) Judith Sklar, probeert de schrijver ons een idee te geven van wat gelijkheid, democratie, rechtvaardigheid en revolutie voor ons betekenden en nog kunnen betekenen. Dat is een hele opgaaf, waarin hij niet altijd even goed slaagt naar mijn idee. Maar hij geeft wel een zeer brede overview van de ideeen hieromtrent gedurende de laatste 400 jaar. Er komen veel grote namen langs, zoals Nietzsche. Lenin, de Beauvoir en nog veel meer. Het is niet altijd even duidelijk, maar dat kan ook aan mij liggen. Ik heb er wel veel van geleerd.

[Swapna Peri ( Book Reviews Cafe ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Runciman's "The History of Ideas: Equality, Justice and Revolution" examines key political and philosophical concepts by merging classic texts with contemporary issues like AI and inequality. While Runciman successfully democratizes these complex ideas, his eclectic structure may hinder in-depth analysis. He tends to favor moderation over radical change, interpreting thinkers like Rousseau and Douglass as advocates for gradual transformation. However, some chapters lack coherence and authority, which may detract from the book's depth. Despite these inconsistencies, the work provokes reflection on political concepts and their modern implications, serving as a valuable introduction while potentially falling short for those wanting a more structured exploration of the themes.

[Ben Greenbury · Rating 3 out of 5]

Runciman is a brilliant communicator and thus I found the book incredibly enjoyable. It would serve as a good introduction for anyone interested in one of these individuals or the theme which he groups the book under. I do not know enough about most of these individuals to comment on the veracity of Runciman’s account, although, in instances where I do, there are points of difference. However, I particularly enjoyed the essay on Bentham and I think Runciman is correct in how he (and Utilitarianism by extension) are unfairly maligned, caricatured and taken out of the political context in which they emerged. 3.5 stars

[Lily Welton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed! Each chapter dedicated to a different political thinker- from De Beauvoir to Nietzsche to my autistic superstar Jeremy Bentham- each explained & analysed by Runciman, who I wasn’t familiar with before, but enjoyed his writing. His criticisms on each thinker were well explained, without diminishing their original or influential political thinking- particularly enjoyed his criticisms of Rousseau and his evaluation of Bentham through the lens of his autism.

[Winnie Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Runciman’s The History of Ideas is a very engaging read. I like how he distills the essence of each “thinker,” highlighting their key points without overwhelming detail. What makes it stand out is the way Runciman weaves in his own reflections and personal interpretations, so the book feels like an ongoing conversation rather than a dry survey. The discussions flow throughout, giving the book a sense of continuity instead of just being a series of isolated profiles.

[Lynnjamin Tang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a great intro to political science/history without all the crazy jargons that people have a hard time grasping. I had to look into the author and and realized that he was not only is a professor, but a podcaster which explained why it was so engaging. I would go as far as calling it quite essential as it covers up to the modern age. on the outside it looks text-booky but it's not. I loved the narratives of each important philosopher.

[Cordelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This reads like one big literature review.. I don’t feel like there’s any new comments made…

Having said that I do like that each chapter covers one person so you can pick this up and put it down after each chapter

[CasserresBoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

i found some chapters very interesting like the one on Rousseau, Bentham and shumpeter. other chapters i found less interesting

[Peter Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opens new ways of thinking about politics and society.

[Pavel Skigin · Rating 3 out of 5]

my book review:
https://revdem.ceu.edu/2025/01/21/an-...