Believe in People: Bottom-Up Solutions for a Top-Down World

by Charles G. Koch, Brian Hooks

A surprising take on how you can help tackle the really big problems in society–from one of America’s most successful entrepreneurs.

People are looking for a better way. Towering barriers are holding millions of people back, and the institutions that should help everyone rise are not doing the job. Crumbling communities. One-size fits all education. Businesses that rig the economy. Public policy that stifles opportunity and emboldens the extremes. As a result, this country is quickly heading toward a two-tiered society.

Today’s challenges call for nothing short of a paradigm shift – away from a top-down approach that sees people as problems to be managed, toward bottom-up solutions that empower everyone to realize their potential and foster a more inclusive society.

Such a shift starts by What would it mean to truly believe in people?

Businessman and philanthropist Charles Koch has devoted his life to answering that question. Learn what he’s discovered during his 60-year career to help you apply the principles of empowerment in your life, in your business, and in society.

By learning from the social movements and applying the principles that have enabled social progress throughout history, Koch has achieved more than he dreamed possible – building one of the world’s most successful companies and founding Stand Together, one of America’s most innovative philanthropic communities. Stand Together CEO Brian Hooks and Koch show how the only way to solve the really big problems – from poverty and addiction to harmful business practices and destructive public policy – is for each and every one of us to find and take action in our unique role as part of the solution.

Full of compelling examples of what works – including several first-person accounts from individuals whose lives have been transformed – Koch and Hooks’ refreshing approach promotes partnership instead of partisanship and speaks to people from different perspectives and all walks of life. They show that no injustice is too tough to overcome if you share a deep belief in people, are willing to unite with anyone to do right, and work to empower others from the bottom up.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Leadership, Self Help, Politics, Philosophy, Economics

308 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 17, 2020

About the author

Charles de Ganahl Koch (M.S., Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1960; M.S., Nuclear Engineering, MIT, 1958; B.S., General Engineering, MIT, 1957) has been CEO of Koch Industries since 1967, and is a major philanthropic supporter of libertarianism. With Ed Crane and Murray Rothbard, he co-founded the Cato Institute.

Reviews

[Ben Pratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised by some of the early reviews and discussion threads on this book. The argument seemed to be “Charles Koch is evil, therefore anything he has to say is evil, therefore this book is garbage - don’t read it.”

It’s unfortunate that people still think an ad hominem argument is sound. It helps exactly none of us understand what the book is about, nor why we should or should not spend our time trying to read it.

I have no idea if they actually “read” the book - I suppose one can read like one “listens” to a spouse while looking at their smartphone. At any rate, I must have read a different book.

If you didn’t know who the authors were, I suspect the reaction to their ideas would be quite different. Not that anyone would agree with everything, but are ideas like the tendency for institutions to be top down, viewing the majority of individuals as statistical problems to be solved with one-size-fits-all grand plans designed by experts all that far off? I am not even sure the grand planners and experts would disagree with that in substance.

Would these reviewers agree with the authors that we are headed for a two-tier society where relatively few are able to better their lives while the majority fall backwards?

Having stated these and other problems with at least partial accuracy, one might reasonably expect a reviewer to have some curiosity as to the proposed solutions... what are the pros and cons of the “bottoms up” approach led by social entrepreneurs - and do the stated principles meant to guide a social entrepreneur actually lead to the desired outcomes?

If tribalism is your thing, then let your freak flag fly, as they say: do your virtuous-signaling-best to show your tribe mates you belong and disparage away to your hearts content. I mean no offense by this, and take none - we all do it to some degree a lot of the time.

But if you’re trying to convince the rest of us, you’ll need to make your case based on logic and principle, not identity.

[Bruce Crown · Rating 1 out of 5]

Galley Review

Garbage book. Garbage ideas by a garbage human being. This is neocon propaganda masquerading as sage wisdom.

[Drtaxsacto · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a shame that many people who should read this book won't. Progressives are Pavlovian in their response to Charles Koch. But like most human beings he is not unidimensional.

The book as two parts - the first describes his ideas about principled business. He is against corporate welfare; he believes in assuring that companies treat their employees and their customers well; he encourages bottom up solutions. Those were presented in his earlier book Good Profit - which I reviewed earlier.

The second part is a description of a way to think about social entrepreneurship. He talks about issues he has championed including prison reform, marriage equality and several other issues that might surprise some readers. The book explains some of its principles by using examples from individuals that Koch and his foundation have worked with.

One part that might be surprising is his expressed concern for his prior political involvement - beginning in 2018 Koch stepped back from bankrolling the GOP. He began, I think wisely, to concentrate his political funding on issues not parties.

Finally, one surprising part of the book for me was his four "mentors" - writers who he never met but influenced his entire philosophy. They are Frederick Hayek, Abraham Maslow, Frederick Douglass and Victor Frankl. Those of you who read either my blog or my Goodreads reviews will recognize that three out of the four are key to my thinking too.

[Shelli]

I just read a blurb about Koch’s interview with The Wall Street Journal, talking about this book and his spiffy new non-partisan “epiphany” since his many, many years of funneling millions into hyper-conservative candidates and policies, including helping found the Tea Party movement. Here’s a snippet from the Business Insider piece that made me want to barf – on him:

He also shared with The Journal parts of his new book, "Believe in People: Bottom-Up Solutions for a Top-Down World," in which he said he regretted his partisanship and the divisions it fostered.

"Boy, did we screw up!" he wrote, according to The Journal. "What a mess!"

He acts like he spilled a bowl of ice cream on the carpet, instead of lamenting the blood on his hands for the countless Americans lost to classist economic (and social) policies that left them destitute. In a crowded list of horrible humans, he’s got good pole position in the race for a high finish.

I sincerely can’t understand how he expects anyone to take seriously his assertion that he’s ready to start acting for the common good (not just rich white Republicans’) when the sum total of addressing and atoning for the harm he’s already done amounts to, “Uh oh! Oopsie! My bad!”

[Lydia Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

People are looking for a better way. Towering barriers are holding millions of people back, and the institutions that should help everyone rise are not doing the job. Crumbling communities. One-size fits all education. Businesses that rig the economy. Public policy that stifles opportunity and emboldens the extremes. As a result, this country is quickly heading toward a two-tiered society.

Today’s challenges call for nothing short of a paradigm shift.

Such a shift starts by asking: What would it mean to truly believe in people?

[Emilee Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

first work read haha

[Christopher Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

You have to appreciate a book by a wealthy elite that starts this way:

Look across society, and you’ll see that millions are being impeded, directed, dominated, or worse. You’ll see the widespread assumption that those at the “top” know best and the people they consider beneath them can’t be trusted.

Don't read my book! People at the top don't know better! Nice that he spent the rest of the book proving it.

Don't get me wrong - the book has lots of good ideas and elevates projects that are worthy. Charles Koch undoubtedly believes in all this stuff very strongly and Brian Hooks did what I imagine is an excellent job correctly explaining Koch's views. It is just that the main one is that Koch deeply believes he is a much deeper thinker than he is. I am familiar with this - I probably suffer from it too.

The result is a collection of dime store business book / self-help approaches that barely hang together. "Hey this thing over here works, we need more of that!" "We need lots of different solutions, that is why I am funding this group to do this one thing everywhere to everyone!" It seems like Koch lacks people with the courage and intelligence to battle him that actually disagree with him.

I'm being overly harsh in part because I truly believe in bottom up solutions but I believe we need many bottom up solutions because people like Koch create two problems for every one they solve. I have no doubt that he is an honest man who truly believes the stuff that Brian writes for him (and that he probably wrote in a draft in some form, I don't know why I have to be such a jerk).

I think many of the things in this book reflect what Koch believes because he has not had to wrestle them to the ground. For instance, his focus on drug treatment left me bewildered. He focuses on an approach that has seemed to work well for a group of people. Rather than recognizing that, he has to imply that this is the solution to everyone's drug problems. I doubt it is.

This is fascinating:

To recap: as an institution, at its best, business does three things. First, it empowers employees to self-actualize. Second—and as a result of the first—it develops and supplies the products and services that others use to improve their lives. Third, it helps create a culture of mutual benefit, in which people learn that success comes from contributing.

It sounds like a hippy excited to open a Colorado pot store. And it is totally out of touch with the modern economy. I wish he were half as successful convincing his fellow titans of the U.S. economy that they should make some of the changes to their own businesses that he encourages. If he could get 1% of their overall effort to lower taxes toward creating those types of businesses, that would be something!

How do you fight a monopoly in the 21st century? Social media!

Customers can also make a difference. Don’t like that the airline you fly lobbies for rules that limit their competitors? Fly a different airline and explain why on Twitter. Don’t like your car manufacturer supporting tariffs? Buy from someone else. Make the injustice known—letters to the editor, stockholder meetings, social media—and get others to do the same.

Let me know how that goes.

The discussion about political power is juvenile. I cannot believe that this guy gets treated seriously while Alicia Garza's book, the Purpose of Power, is mostly ignored. And that is the United States in 2020, in a nutshell.

It isn't that he is wrong - many of his points are correct. Well, not this one on gay marriage:

When you think of a movement, it’s easy to think about one group winning over another. Yet there’s a fundamental difference between a movement that unites people to achieve change and one that divides people in pursuit of the same end. Even if a divisive approach succeeds in the short term, it will likely fail in the long term. Bowling over your opponents will sow the seeds of resentment, which will bear ugly fruit long after you’ve “won.”

To be clear, the groups that Koch helps to fund believe that allowing LGBT folks to marry is absolutely "one group winning over another." And the reason that is happening is not because the LGBT activists just figured out how to convince everyone they deserved basic human rights, it is because they got the government to ensure it for them. Not very convenient for Koch's larger anti-government theme.

I cannot describe how odd it feels to agree with points that he makes regarding the brilliance of the Civil Rights movements as he funds groups trying to reverse it and that are the heirs to all the people who opposed it.

I just can't anymore. I didn't hate this book. It has good points, but it is inconsistent and you would just expect more from someone so convinced he has so much to share.

[James E · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t think of a more relevant book for our time. As a country we are divided, there is overwhelming distrust in the systems in place, and as a society, it seems we are crumbling. Yet this book offers a better path. There are two main points within the book that stood out and resonated with me. First, the idea of being ‘contribution motivated’ and second, the ‘four core institutions.”

The authors pitch the idea of being contribution motivated. Each person, with their unique abilities can bring something to the table, bettering themselves and society. They write that “true progress requires all of us being able to contribute more, not less, as the world shifts. We can’t allow a future that leaves some behind.” I find this to be true. I believe, and the authors write that rather than a top-down approach to solve our country’s problems, we need to look at those closest to the problem and empower them to solve it. A true bottom-up approach, which they detail with examples and demonstrate the realistic approach and probability of success.

Secondly, the authors address, what they refer to as the “four core institutions of society” – education, business, government and communities. They write that “If the failures of our core institutions are the primary reason people are failing behind, then its stands to reason that we need to address those failing to help them succeed. That is, we need these to break, rather than build, the barriers holding people back.” In layman’s terms, if something is broke, fix it. Don’t just throw money at the problem and hope for a different result. Our society seems to be crumbling by the day. Schools are failing, homelessness, poverty, and substance abuse is increasing, and government seems to hurt the problem instead of helping. I think this book lays out a realistic approach to solving these issues. Bottom-up. I couldn’t agree more.

Overall, I think this book is worthy of 5-stars. It was thought provoking, challenging to my existing mental models, inspiring, and enjoyable. I’d encourage you to read it.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited for this one I bought it full price, which I almost never do. And then...it sat there. On my shelf. Not being read.
So I found it on audio! Score! And then it sat there. On my virtual shelf. Unread.
Finally Hoopla got it (so I could read it at 4x speed) so I knocked it out during a workout.
Here is the thing: I love the content of this book. I just didn't glean much new from it.
I loved Good Profit: How Creating Value for Others Built One of the World's Most Successful Companies because it felt so practical. Believe in People goes more philosophical. It makes the pitch for empowering those least empowered and providing resources so people don't have to depend on the government. It is a vision I believe in (seriously, down with crony capitalism and occupational licensing) and I think Koch quite persuasively pushes for policies over political parties.
But I was already sold before I read this one. So, it didn't really have a big impact on me?
The book breaks into three sections: Charles Koch's story, the story of social entrepreneurs, your story.
Worth a listen if you find the audio book. There are some memorable lines and truly inspiring stories. I don't see myself returning to it the way I return to the ideas in Good Profit, though.


Pre-Review

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have not read this book. I will not read this book. I find it offensive that it exists, quite frankly. There is nothing new about billionaires that have intentionally meddled and messed up the world telling everyone else that is their (our) own fault and how we (the aggrieved) should fix it with our meager resources and limited power. "Pick yourself up by your bootstraps" while their wingtip is on your neck. No thanks. Instead of writing a shitty blame shifting book maybe do some introspection and try to fix that which you've broken using your Scrooge McDuck treasure hoard for good instead of evil.

[Seamus McRae]

A somewhat inspiring book full of somewhat believable stories by a somewhat questionable author. (In all seriousness, as far as I can tell, the book's stories are legit. Charles Koch has grown on me a teeny tiny little bit.)

[Avbac23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The bad: this book is pretty dull and dry. I used it to fall asleep at bedtime several times.

The good: that's probably only the case because I've already read so many books by people who influenced Koch's thinking. When I arrived at the recommended reading list at the end, I discovered a large number of writers with whose philosophy I was already familiar, so for a reader who hasn't had broad exposure to Thomas Sowell, Deirdre McCloskey, and others who write about ethics in economics, business, and politics, this book will probably not be as redundant as I found it to be. For those to whom the analysis of ethics in economics is new, and who have never heard of the "constrained vision" vs. the "unconstrained vision" from Sowell's A Conflict of Visions, this book provides a great overview of the concepts, and provides useful real-world examples of implementation from the author's experiences.

The great: Charles Koch wrote this book at 85, and he presents an excellent look back at his life lessons, along with clear guidance for anyone to implement his lessons. We should consider ourselves lucky to be able to benefit from any memoir from anyone with such long and varied life experiences, but to have this book from someone as sharp-minded, well-read, and thoughtful as Koch proves himself to be is a true blessing. I didn't know much about him before reading the book, but he's made a fan of me. His ethical analysis is spot-on. He calls for bottom-up, grassroots action, as opposed to authoritarian, easily-corruptible political partisanship. He speaks clearly against the bigotry of paternalistic treatment of minorities. I found very little with which to disagree, and many examples of candidly taking responsibility for past actions and decisions, even ones that he later decided against.

Even though this book is ultimately "unnecessary" because it's all been written before by others, I still think it's good to read, as a packaging of one man's lessons learned and as a presentation of real-world evidence of the efficacy of his life philosophies.

[Roger Custer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr. Koch and Mr. Hooks describe their worldview and proposals for improving social challenges in this interesting book. While I agree with most of the ideas (ie. end corporate welfare, criminal justice reform, school choice), this book makes a case for a humanistic worldview which is in contrast to a Biblical worldview. One of the main differences is Koch and Hooks's embrace of humanity as basically good as opposed to sinful. They argue that Social Entrepreneurs are the solution and that activism movements will save the world. One example they use is same-sex marriage to write off anyone who embraces a traditional view as discriminatory. While Koch and Hooks are not progressive economically in the same way as Bernie Sanders, they are philosophically in the sense that Os Guinness describes in his book Carpe Diem Redeemed. He notes how this kind of thinking is rooted in an Enlightenment view that CS Lewis called "fatal serialism" and that "a position in time overrules the priority of truth.". In other words, Koch and Hooks assume that the future is always going to be better than the past. They channel Maslow's idea of self-actualization and claim it provides the "highest fulfillment" and use that idea for their overarching "bottom up" solutions. While there is merit in this view in the context of managing a firm, it doesn't hold for a view of the world when asking deeper questions about humanity's true purpose on Earth and our ultimate destination. Koch and Hooks could strengthen their argument if they acknowledged a creator and encouraged readers to seek "ultimate fulfillment" through not only their deeds (Social Entrepreneurs who self actualize) but also with their heart on a deeper level.

[Brian Bateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Koch‘s third book focuses less on his approach to business and more on taking a principled approach to fixing the things that are ailing in society. The concepts are sound, and I agree that we will get much more done by learning to work with others and listen to the ideas of the people that are hurt by ridiculous practices that are steeped in keeping the disadvantaged at a disadvantage.

I wish that the book had spent more time diving deeper into the ideas laid out in the second half and a little less time talking about the history of Koch Industries. Although there are some components that laid the foundation for what was to come, I feel the argument could have been made without the history lesson.

But I would implore any of you who are interested in reading this book to read and judge for yourself whether or not you think the concepts will work and not rely on the view of those who made up their mind coming in to hate this book. Mr. Koch’s philosophies are not for everyone, but I do believe everyone can find some valuable insights into why so many of the things we rely on to solve our societies problems simply aren’t working.

[James Keane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believe in People is a bipartisan cry for all of us to enact social change in whatever ways will empower those who are disempowered.

Koch argues that those who are closest to an issue are best equipped to solve it, as opposed to relying on top-down, one-size-fits all policies. He doesn’t make a “bootstraps” argument — he believes resources should be available in whatever ways are needed, but when well-meaning aid is too generalized, it falls short in being impactful and efficient because the problems it tries to solve are too specific to individuals’ circumstances, and it ultimately doesn’t provide people with a feeling of control in their lives (which is necessary for continued empowerment).

Koch laments his decision to make party-driven donations, and devotes an entire chapter to emphasize the importance of focusing on issues and solutions rather than using political parties as a means to an end (as he admits he mistakenly did).

As someone who leans left, I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to others. I’m disappointed to see people doling out one-star reviews without having read a word of it. If a different author’s name were on the cover, I bet many of those people would have rated this book favorably. I’m glad I chose to suspend judgment and give this a fair shot, rather than relying on my preconceived ideas about Koch that were so entrenched in toxic “us vs. them” partisanship.

[skip thurnauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoiler alert - even if you have cancelled anything "Koch" as right wing fanaticism, this book is still worth reading - it is not political. I enjoyed learning about Charles Koch's life, how he took over a $12 million family business and how he built it into $120 billion business in a little over 20 years. While the Kochs are frequently vilified, Believe in People presents a different picture. The subtitle, "Bottoms-Up Solutions for a Top-Down World" is a cornerstone to Koch's management philosophy. In the preface, Koch notes the need to write this book is because most people prefer a top down approach, especially for major issues. In his mind and practice, it really comes down to empowering people and listening to their solutions AND being willing to accept failure. He demonstrates through numerous examples how empowered "individuals [like Frederick Douglas] disrupt the status quo to help others" in business, as well as in social contexts. Koch says he "didn't recognize it at the time, empowering people has been my driving motivation since my twenties" (he's now 85). I wish our new government leaders could adopt a lesson expressed as a section subhead - "UNITE WITH ANYBODY TO DO RIGHT". You should go out of your way to find and engage a diversity of allies. This is especially a good book for anyone who manages people or hope's to at some time.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was suggested to me in a final interview with Koch Industries. As someone who leans left on social issues I find that Charles Koch is often a punching bag in some media that I consume. Frankly, I didn't know much about him. So I read this book as I contemplated if I could live my values while working at Koch. I was primed over a span of years by the media to think I could not.

While reading the book, I found there was a great amount of overlap between his market based management principles and my own principles. The theme he talked about that resonates the most with me is empowering people so they can nurture and express a contribution orientation.

Charles also expressed humility about how he has engaged in politics in ways that did not serve his or societies interests. In this appology he demonstrates a humbleness and a growth mindset.

I'd recommend this book to anybody, especially to liberally minded people. The book articulates how a balance and dynamic conservative might think.

I've accepted the job at Koch Industries. I feel a lot of gratitude for this book because it helped me to connect with how this decision aligns with my values.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know, not a book I would have expected me to read, either. Why I did is its own story, but I’m willing to give the author more credit than I would have expected here. The style was too simplistic for my taste, felt at times quite mansplain-y. But I appreciate the central thesis. And the whole point is that we can disagree on some conclusions drawn and still accomplish important things together. So, at the end of the day, I don’t find it interesting enough to really recommend the book itself to others... but I learned some things that surprised me, and I acknowledge and appreciate that.

[Danielle Josephine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read on changing from a culture of control to one of empowerment across the four institutions of community, education, business, and government. If you want to make change, don’t always defer to authority. Empower your team to innovate and propose change. I enjoyed reading about the author’s early life, and see how he learned along the way from his own mistakes. Looking forward to seeing how I can apply some of this in my work and change that I hope to make.

[paul anthony dicarlo · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is an utter waste of time

I’ve never read so many pages containing less content. Skip this one. It’s gives a handful of examples of personal triumph stories but no lessons or relevance to the business world or the non-profit world.

[Mallory Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Required reading for work, but not terrible. Charles Koch makes the case for joining with anyone to do good and emphasizes how we all lose in partisanship alliances - which he admits Koch Industries did in the past.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strongly recommend everyone read this well-written book! If anything, it changed my view of the most senior Koch brother and reinforced my belief to empower others and unite for a common cause despite differences otherwise. I may add this book to my personal library as well.

[Nate Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't want to like this book, made me very angry at first. But it ended up saying most of the same stuff I say all the time. And admitting to mistakes with partisan politics and corporate welfare.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book I read this year... it is a must read!

[Spellbind Consensus]

*Believe in People: Bottom-Up Solutions for a Top-Down World* by Charles Koch and Brian Hooks is a manifesto for social change rooted in libertarian values, personal empowerment, and community-driven action. The book argues that top-down approaches—whether from government, large institutions, or centralized bureaucracies—often fail to solve societal problems effectively. Instead, meaningful and sustainable progress comes from **bottom-up efforts**, where individuals and communities are free to innovate and collaborate to drive change.

At the heart of the book is the belief that **every person has unique potential**, and that unlocking this potential is key to addressing issues like poverty, education inequality, addiction, and criminal justice reform. Koch and Hooks assert that too many systems are built on coercion and control, rather than empowerment and partnership. Their alternative is a framework rooted in dignity, mutual respect, and voluntary cooperation.

The book is both philosophical and practical. It lays out a personal and institutional transformation model that focuses on:

### 1. **Principled Entrepreneurship and Empowerment**

The authors advocate for a mindset shift in both business and nonprofit sectors. They promote “principled entrepreneurship,” where the goal isn’t just profit, but value creation that uplifts others. Businesses, philanthropies, and individuals are encouraged to pursue solutions that align with core values like openness, humility, and long-term thinking.

### 2. **Bottom-Up Social Change**

Koch and Hooks showcase real-life examples of grassroots organizations and individuals who are solving complex problems by working directly with communities—often succeeding where top-down institutions have failed. These include education reformers, reentry programs for former inmates, and community health initiatives.

### 3. **Partnership Over Paternalism**

The authors strongly critique paternalistic models of charity and government aid that treat people as problems to be fixed rather than partners in progress. Instead, they advocate for collaborative approaches that build on people’s strengths, enabling self-sufficiency rather than dependence.

### 4. **Reforming Systems That Trap People**

The book addresses systemic barriers—like overregulation, cronyism, and rigid bureaucracies—that prevent people from reaching their potential. It supports criminal justice reform, school choice, and reducing barriers to entry in business as ways to increase opportunity.

### 5. **A Unified Framework for Social Entrepreneurs**

Throughout the book, Koch and Hooks invite readers—especially those in philanthropy, business, and activism—to adopt a framework called **“bottom-up empowerment”**. This approach is based on identifying shared values, removing obstacles to opportunity, and investing in people rather than programs.

The tone of the book is optimistic and forward-looking, even as it challenges the status quo. It blends personal anecdotes from Koch’s life and career with success stories from across the political and social spectrum, positioning the message as broadly inclusive rather than ideologically rigid.

While the book reflects the authors’ libertarian philosophy—particularly skepticism toward centralized authority—it also makes room for diverse viewpoints, emphasizing cooperation across political and cultural lines. It encourages readers to engage with the world not through blame or division, but through empathy, dialogue, and action.

In summary, *Believe in People* is a call to rethink how we pursue social change—not by relying on top-down mandates or impersonal systems, but by **trusting in people**, supporting their potential, and working together to remove the barriers that limit human flourishing. It is a blend of theory and application, aimed at those who want to make a real difference from the ground up.

[Matthew · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Believe In People" is a serviceable memoir and manifesto on self-actualization with incredibly bad timing. Released at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and as the world begins to deal with the increasingly adverse effects of climate change, it will be remembered not as a tome of wisdom but as a chronicle of Charles Koch’s errant misadventures.

The preface sets the tone. It opens with the story of a needy charitable organization turning to campaigning on GoFundMe with the help of a Koch charitable outfit in the midst of the pandemic. Back-patting and hailing of innovation ensues — but there is little mention of the sustained, Koch-funded assault on labor and government that helped break the faculties of the United States so completely that the country and its citizens are incapable of engaging in effective combat against COVID-19 as of this writing.

The book means to be an ode to “bottom-up” problem solving. There is wisdom in that, sure, and there are plenty of platitudes and good, socially-conscious nuggets of wisdom here for the taking. But on the whole, encouraging the little guy to clean up the mess on Main Street inevitably conjures the parallel image of the authors watching from a penthouse above, calling below to “keep up the good work!” Because, according to them, bootstrapping one’s “unique gifts” is the best and really only way to empower and innovate.

This just doesn’t pass the smell test here. The biggest example in the book being a sustained screed against corporate welfare, something which Koch Industries eschewed when in the spotlight yet rabidly pursued with sharp elbows in the course of business.

In the end, it’s “do as I say, not as I did.” And for that, two stars.

[Jacob Òjó-Neer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be engaging and interesting. It is core, the book is about empowering people to utilize their talents for the greater good. This isn’t emphasized enough.

I was really captivated by a subsection of the book, in which Charles spoke about his previous hardcore involvement in red-meat politics. Like Charles, I too was once caught up in the political game. Also like Charles, I realized that the best results don’t come from the zero-sum game itself. Rather, the best way to influence change in politics is to work on specific issues - even with those you don’t agree with. The political dogfights only benefit politicians. The bickering, name-calling, dogma, and political “total war” genuinely does nothing to bring about a better society. Rather, the novel idea of partnering with a diverse set of ideologies to accomplish basic things is the healthiest way to engage in politics. More and more I see the value in that perspective.

I think the proof is in the pudding when you look at the two ways Charles has engaged and politics and their results: when he was “in the fight” - it led to an increase in partisanship and (I think unjustly) his name being associated with red meat politics.

On the other hand, his social ventures like Stand Together have brought about meaningful change through amazing partnerships and even legislative victories like the First Step Act.

All in all, this is a great book if you’d like to understand Charles’ philosophy better. I think whether you are a fan of his or not, you are sure to learn something.

[Chrisanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate people who don't fit the mold. Koch popped up on my media feed a few months ago and I was intrigued. The headline showed that he was more interested in following an internal code than the crowd.

This book proves that point. I like the basic message and I think Koch has a lot of good to say. We disagree on a few points but I enjoyed listening to his logic behind his thoughts. And he did not seem antagonistic towards those

One concern I had was that there was clearly a series of terms that was used in their organization that were applied to historical figures. Ever since reading The Secret that practice has bothered me. Something about assigning labels to people that they can't reject if wanted.

As an employee, I really like most of his points. As someone who is interested in doing good, I thought his ideas were empowering.

3.5 stars

[Nav · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing truly revolutionary happening here. I do like the case he made for "bottom-up solutions" which A) acknowledges that strategies aren't one size fits all situations and B) is essentially about empowering people and communities with the resources they ask for rather than the aide "the top" decides they need.

However, the identity of the author really undercuts the message (as you can see by the reviews of people who haven't read it but insist it must be worth only one star). He also slips in unnecessary biographical details. Anecdotes as emphasis are one thing, but his personal journey getting to the conclusions gone over in this book wasn't interesting.

[Clayton Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When you think of a movement it's easy to think about one group winning over another, yet there's a fundamental difference between a movement that unites people to achieve change and one that divides people in pursuit of the same end. Even if a divisive approach succeeds in the short term it will likely fail in the long term. Bowling over your opponents will sew the seeds of resentment which will bear ugly fruit long after you've won."~ Charles Koch, Believe in People: Bottom-Up Solutions for a Top-Down World