Table of Contents
It is said that a pen is mightier than a sword. Political authors are writers that make full use of this weapon.
“If you want to change the world, pick up the pen and write”
– Martin Luther
While the majority of writers shy away from bringing their political inclinations into their writings, some only give a hint. On the other hand, political authors are highly opinionated. They present facts and philosophy and strive to make a difference. Indeed, there are many written works that brought about drastic changes in government and policies of the world.
Why are political authors so important to the world? Where does their political thought arise from? Philosophers and their ideas, both ancient and modern, heavily influence the world we live in today.
Political writers not only record what happened and is happening politically but also inspire social change with their powerful words. They examine the process and political dynamics of countries and raise public awareness to force change.
Here is a list of 20 political authors that challenged the status quo and brought reform:
- Harriet Beecher Stowe
- Thomas Paine
- Upton Sinclair
- Annie Beasant
- Amartya Sen
- Charles Darwin
- John Steinbeck
- Charles Dickens
- George Orwell
- Betty Friedan
- Noam Chomsky
- Adam Smith
- Jean-Paul Sartre
- Karl Marx
- John Locke
- Plato
- Henry David Thoreau
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau
1. Harriet Beecher Stowe
About the author:
When Abraham Lincoln first met Harriet Beecher in 1862, he said, “So you are the woman who wrote the book that started this great war.”
An American author and abolitionist, Harriet Beecher Stowe came from the highly religious Beecher family. She was born in 1811 in Connecticut. Her father was Lyman Beecher, a famed Congregational minister. Her brother Henry Beecher was also a famous preacher and reformer.
Harriet Beecher’s flair for writing showed in the essays she produced for school. Later, she became a teacher and taught for four years. When her father became the president of Lane Seminary in Cincinnati, she went with him. Thus, she met some of the great minds and abolitionists and reformers of that time.
She wrote countless articles and around 30 books, which covered a wide range of topics as well as several novels. The turning point in Beecher’s life came when she lost her son in the 1849 epidemic. She became empathetic towards enslaved mothers whose children were sold away. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, propelled her to write the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin which rocked the world.
Most influential book:
Beecher’s book Uncle Tom’s Cabin became the second-best-selling book of the 19th century. The first is the Bible. Uncle Tom’s Cabin features Uncle Tom, an African-American slave. It revealed the horrors of slavery to the world for the very first time on a personal level. Of course, it caused an uproar.
This book was one of the first non-biased works on slavery. It portrayed the harsh master, the freedom fighters, the kind and loving master, and different types of slaves. However, it did not show slavery as a life that Africans should be thankful for. It also showed a realistic view which was an eye-opener for many people.
The novel greatly aided the abolitionist cause and maximized tensions with slaveholders and, caused the American Civil War to begin.
Stowe used her popularity to petition to end slavery. She toured speaking about her book and donated to the antislavery cause. Furthermore, she became one of the most visible professional writers during the Civil War.
Other notable works: The Minister’s wooing, Palmetto Leaves
2. Thomas Paine
About the author:
Thomas Paine was not only a political author but also a philosopher, activist, theorist, and revolutionary. As an English-born American, he supported revolutions in America and Europe.
Born in Norfolk, Paine migrated to the British American colonies in the year 1774 at the request of none other than Benjamin Franklin. He arrived just in time to take part in the American Revolution. Almost every rebel read his pamphlet Common Sense, which became the best-selling American title. It certainly catalysed the demand for independece from Great Britain.
He wrote numerous political pamphlets, Common Sense being the most popular of all. In spite of being ostracised and prisoned, he continued to write. He advocated reason and freedom of thought and wrote against institutionalized religions, especially Christian doctrine.
A staunch critic of slavery, he declared himself an abolitionist. As a secretary to the Pennsylvania legislature, Paine helped draft legislation to outlaw the trade of slaves. He fought to break the chains of slavery and oppression as well as other noble causes.
Most influential book:
Rights of Man by Thomas Paine is not exactly a book but a pamphlet. Paine wrote it as a response after he read that Britain was not in favour of the French revolution. Certainly, Paine who strongly disagreed wrote The Rights of Man in 1791. It rules as one of the finest statements of the eighteenth century.
Everyone in America and Britain applauded the book. Many even took it as a flag for freedom from England and beyond. As a result, Paine was not welcome in his own country anymore. Also, he was a radical before it was cool.
His ideas weren’t just ideas. They were revolutionary thoughts that forced and inspired people to move toward a democratic way of life. His ideas not only inspired people but also gave birth to the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and many more.
Other notable works: Common Sense, The Age of Reason
3. Upton Sinclair
About the author:
As a popular muckraker, Upton Sinclair provided accurate and detailed, journalistic accounts of the corruption and social hardships caused by big business in the United States. He was an American writer, journalist, activist and political candidate. He wrote close to 100 books in varying genres. However, he is best known for his book ‘The Jungle’ which is an expose of the 1906 meatpacking industry. Sinclair used his wealth and popularity to support experiments in communitarian living. He also worked and vouched for various reforms. He was an outspoken socialist.
Most influential book:
Upton Sinclair’s 1906 novel, The Jungle, showcases the harsh working conditions, poverty and exploitation of the immigrant labourers in the meat packing industry of Chicago. Written to expose the unsanitary and appalling conditions in the meat-packing industry, Sinclair made the people of America question. As a result, it sparked a public uproar about the hygienic conditions in the food processing industry.
The American government couldn’t ignore the outcry any longer. Therefore, it launched investigations which found the allegations to be true. A year later, the Meat Inspection Act came into effect. In addition, the Pure Food and Drug Act also came into effect.
Because it led to the first legislative acts for food purity, it is considered one of the most politically influential novels of the last century.
Other notable works: Oil, The Fasting Cure
4. Annie Beasant
About the author:
Not only a political author, but Annie Besant also played the role of a socialist, activist, theosophist, orator, educationist, and philanthropist. Hailed as a champion of human freedom, Besant worked tirelessly as a British supporter of Indian nationalism. She supported self-government for India and also set up the All-India Home Rule League. Her political writings greatly influenced the course of Indian nationalism. In addition, it affected Great Britain’s policies toward India.
Beasant wrote over three hundred books and numerous pamphlets. Indeed, she was also a prolific author. As an educationist, her contributions as one of the founders of the Banaras Hindu University are crucial. Her goal was to produce employment and provide better living conditions, and education for the poor.
Most influential book:
Besant’s book The Case for India is a collection of articles and speeches that is true to its name. It successfully builds a strong case for India. It answers the question such as why should India be granted home rule. Why should it bear the burden of the British empire?
This book narrates the regressive policies pursued by the British Empire. Annie Besant worked for the causes she believed in. She fought for the freedom of thought, secularism, women’s rights, birth control, and workers’ rights at a time when all of these were rare. On the other hand, she wrote columns for the newspaper the National Reformer. Her writings inspired many.
In 1877, Besant and Bradlaugh became household names when they published a book by Charles Knowlton. The book focused on the birth control campaign. It suggested ways to limit the number of children in each family.
Other notable works: Thought Forms, The Ancient Wisdom
5. Amartya Sen
About the author:
Amartya Kumar Sen is an Indian philosopher, political author and economist. Sen’s contributions are many such as social choice theory, economics, and economic and social justice. In addition, he has written much about public health, decision theory, and measures of the well-being of countries.
He is at present a Professor at Thomas W. Lamont University. Also, he is the Professor of Economics and Philosophy at the prestigious Harvard University. He won the Nobel Prize in Economics. Furthermore, he is also the recipient of India’s Bharat Ratna.
Sen has received as many as 90 honorary degrees from universities all around the world. The London School of Economics announced the Amartya Sen Chair in Inequality Studies in 2019.
Most influential book:
Sen is one of the world’s most respected voices for the poor and the downtrodden. His works have proved to be an inspiration for millions. He fights for justice for the underprivileged. His books cover a wide range of topics. They deal with ethics, philosophy, politics, welfare, and economics.
One of his most noted books is Poverty & Famines published in 1981. It is a book that is highly appreciated in literature and politics today. This book focuses on the cause of starvation and famines in particular. Sen gives a critical analysis of methods of assessing famines and concentrating on the food supply. He argues that traditional analysis is highly inept and theoretically unsound. His alternative method called the ‘entitlement approach’ has brought about a radical change.
Other notable works: The Idea of Justice, The Argumentative Indian
6. Charles Darwin
About the author:
Charles Robert Darwin lived as a naturalist, geologist, political author and biologist. He is best known for his work and contributions to evolutionary biology. His theory of evolution is now widely accepted Darwin is certainly one of the most influential figures in the history of the world.
While some agree with Darwin’s theories, there are also some who disregard them. In spite of that, his theories and books have changed many aspects of society.
Most influential book:
Darwin’s book On the Origin of Species had a significant impact on the world. It changed the political, cultural and religious views of society. It asked the question, ‘what if’ and touched changed the world with his words.
He challenged traditional biology and provided a theory of evolution. The world initially rejected his theory but later embraced it. Throughout this book, he gives theories which made the world think. The people began to question the authority in several academic studies. Darwin’s book caused an academic revolution.
This book is accepted as the foundation for evolutionary biology.
Other notable works: The Descent of Man, The Voyage of the Beagle
7. John Steinbeck
About the author:
An American author and the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, John Steinbeck is known for his imaginative and realistic writings. He combines sympathetic humour and social perception. He is also known as a giant of American letters. With sixteen novels, two collections of stories and six non-fiction books to his name, he authored a total of 33 books. His works explore the concepts of fate and injustice, especially of the downtrodden and the poor.
Most influential book:
Steinbeck’s book The Grapes of Wrath won the Pulitzer Prize in 1939. In addition, it won the National Book award.
It is set during the Great Depression and follows the journey of a penniless Oklahoma family of tenant farmers. They are driven out of their home due to famine. The book records the economic hardships that drove farmers out of work. Due to changes in the agriculture industry and bank foreclosures, many tenant farmer families leave their homes behind to seek employment.
This book is read in almost all American high schools and colleges due to its historical context and legacy. An immediate bestseller, the novel showed the shocking poverty and problems of thousands of migrants.
Other notable works: East of Eden, The Pearl
8. Charles Dickens
About the author:
Charles Dicken is popular as an English writer and a social critic. However, he was in his way a political author of his own time. He is considered by many the best novelist of the Victorian era. In his early years, Dickens worked as a journalist. He edited a weekly journal for almost twenty years and wrote 15 novels, five novellas, short stories and articles. He extensively campaigned for children’s rights, education, and many other social reforms.
Most influential book:
Oliver Twist is a book that reached through to the upper societies of Britain at the time. It is the story of a child who is mistreated and later joins a gang of thieves. It narrates the life of an orphan who wants to do good, but society is always against him.
In those times, people of the upper class had no idea of the living conditions of the poor. Dicken’s book brought them face to face with the harsh reality. He explores themes such as the victimization of children, the poor law system and the criminal world of London.
Dickens gives the most fearless critique of the Victorian workhouse, which ran a system of prolonged hunger, physical torture, humiliation and hypocrisy. His books not only entertained the audience but also made them question their morality. Dickens brought out the much-needed change in society through his works.
Other notable works: Christmas Carol, Great Expectations
9. George Orwell
About the author:
Eric Arthur Blair is popularly known as George Orwell. Besides being an English novelist, he was also a political author, essayist, critic and journalist. His opposition to totalitarianism, lucid prose, and social criticism is visible in his books.
Orwell liked to cause arguments by challenging the status quo, but he was also in love with the old English values.
Orwell described the British rule in India as despotic and hypocritical. He also noted that England aimed to stop India from becoming its competitor by imposing tariffs. Orwell wrote about the Spanish revolution and World War II. He produced literary criticism and journalism which to this day is read and appreciated.
Most influential book:
George Orwell’s book 1984 about a dystopian world inspired a whole subgenre of books. Many dystopian novels predict the future as a place with no freedoms or rights were later written. The book is a reminder of the importance of freedom of speech and thought.
The story envisions and warns its readers of a totalitarian future, which is nightmarish. The world in the book is governed by surveillance and a supreme leader. It is full of lies and propaganda. However, Orwell based his fictional government on the Soviet Union. His writings were a response to the politics of that time.
George Orwell also wrote the book Animal Farm as an allegorical response to the Russian Revolution.
Other notable works: Why I Write, A Hanging
10. Betty Friedan
About the author:
An American political author, feminist and activist, Betty Friedan is often credited with causing the second wave of feminism in America. In 1966, Friedan was elected the first-ever president of the National Organization for Women (NOW), which she also co-founded. It aimed to bring women in equal partnership with men.
Friedan arranged the countrywide Women’s Strike for Equality which turned up to be successful beyond expectations. Regarded as one of the most influential authors and intellectuals in America, Friedan remained active in politics and advocacy till the late 1990s. She authored six books and was an ardent supporter of Feminism. However, she also criticized the extremely polarized factions that attacked homemakers and men in the name of feminism.
Most influential book:
Friedan’s book The Feminine Mystique caused quite a stir when it was first published in the year 1963. Unlike today’s times, feminism was a new concept some sixty years ago. Friedan forced the women of those times to think about their role in the world. However, the book wasn’t enjoyed by all. Some women even felt insulted by it. Some loved its idea. Thus, it turned into the talk of the town.
It made the news and got people, especially women talking.
Friedan’s book shattered the image of the perfect woman, in particular the housewife. It questioned those women who believed that their only goal was to make their husbands happy. In fact, it implored women to get an education and use their talents to do more with their lives. Hence, many women set out to seek occupations and improve the quality of their lives.
Other notable works: Beyond Gender, The Second Stage
11. Noam Chomsky
About the author:
Noam Chomsky is a political author, philosopher, activist, cognitive scientist, and social critic. He is the founder of modern linguistics and is also respected as one of the best intellectuals in the world. In addition, he is one of the most cited writers in modern history. He authored more than 150 books. The topics he covers in his books such as war, mass media, linguistics, and politics. He is referred to as ‘The Father of Modern Linguistics
Chomsky rose to national popularity because of his outspoken opposition to the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. His anti-war essay “The Responsibility of Intellectuals” was very well received by the common man. Arrested multiple times for his activism he even found a place on President Richard Nixon’s Enemies List. Chomsky remained vocal about his political activism.
One of the most cited scholars in the world he has influenced a vast array of academic fields. He is recognized as the sparking source of the cognitive revolution. He remains a vocal critic of U.S. foreign policy, its capitalism, and its involvement in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Chomsky’s ideas are highly influential in the anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist movements.
Most Influential book:
Chomsky has over 150 books published in his name, but Deterring Democracy, published in 1991, is his most popular one. It is about the United States playing the role of global police after World War II. He criticizes the imperialistic nature of the United States in its desire to remain a dominant world superpower. It is likened o authoritarian regimes. He claims that the United States was more concerned with maintaining dominance than it was with spreading democracy.
Other notable works: Who Rules the World, On Palestine
12. Adam Smith
About the author:
Not just a political author, but also an economist and a philosopher, Adam Smith is known as the pioneer of political economy. In addition, he played an important part in the Scottish Enlightenment. Also, he is referred to as “The Father of Economics”. One of the two classic works that he authored is The Theory of Moral Sentiments. The second book is called An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. It is also abbreviated as The Wealth of Nations.
Most influential book:
The Wealth of Nations is considered his magnum opus and also the first modern work of economics. Adam Smith gave the world a fresh idea about economics through this book. In fact, he is also known as the Father of Modern Capitalism. The book not only focuses on the politics of the economy but also discusses the role of the free market and the laissez-faire structures. It is a mixture of philosophy, politics, history, anthropology, economics, and sociology
Smith’s words inspired the Enlightenment. It changed the Western world and opened the door to philosophy and science. He defined the role of the government. Smith proposed that the government was responsible for its people. To protect against foreign invasions, maintain peace, and allow growth within the country is defined as the government’s job. Many saw merit in Smith’s ideas and tried to bring them into action. This book helped people to live. A new life for the poor, jobs and many other benefits were made available. The idea that countries should produce items that they can make at the cheapest made Adam Smith popular. Therefore, this book helped spread trade to many different countries.
Other notable works: The Theory of Moral Sentiments, The Invisible Hand
13. Jean-Paul Sartre
About the author:
Jean-Paul Sartre was much more than a political author. A playwright, activist, novelist, literary critic, screenwriter, and biographer are some of the roles he played. He is known as one of the important figures in the philosophy of Existentialism and Marxism. His work and books influenced critical theory, sociology, and post-colonial theory and continue to do so. He won the Nobel Prize in 1964 in Literature.
Most influential book:
Being and Nothingness or also known as An Essay on Phenomenological Ontology is a book by Jean-Paul Sartre published in 1943. In this book, Sartre develops an account in support of his existentialism. He deals with topics such as consciousness, social philosophy, perception, self-deception, psychoanalysis, “nothingness”, and the question of free will. The world of existentialism owes a lot to Jean-Paul Sartre.
Other notable works: The Wall, What is Literature
14. Karl Marx
About the author:
Karl Marx, is, perhaps, one of the most influential political authors. As a philosopher, journalist, socialist revolutionary and economist, he gave much to the world. His theories about economics and society created the Marxism system. Indeed, his ideas continue to influence political authors even today. In addition, his anti-capitalism thinking has greatly impacted political history. His name is even today used as a noun, an adjective, and a school of social theory.
Marx is known as one of the most influential people in human history. His work is both lauded and criticised. His work in economics laid the foundation for theories in labour and its relation to capital. Marx’s work influenced many labour unions and political parties throughout the world. Hence, he is cited as one of the principal builders of modern social science.
Most influential book:
The author of The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx also wrote the four-volume Das Kapital. The Cold War and the Berlin Wall began with this book. The impact of this book was so great that nearly half the world had Marxist governments by 1950. The working class read the philosophy and embraced it.
The predictions of revolutions sweeping across Europe came true. Government after government kept falling to its knees. As a result, the common man called finally had power over the leaders. Therefore, while not everyone believed in communism, they were inspired by the words found in Marx’s book.
In the early twentieth century, Vladimir Lenin declared himself a Marxist and establish communism in Russia. He overthrew one of the largest and oldest on earth. Certainly, it laid the foundation for other countries and they followed suit.
Marx’s work took more than a century to change the world but it did happen. Of course, the change is still happening as many nations are rejecting communism.
Other notable works: The German Ideology, Grundrisse
15. John Locke
About the author:
A physician, philosopher, and political author, John Locke is widely considered the “Father of Liberalism”. He is one of the most prominent Enlightenment thinkers. It was his works that greatly influenced the development of political philosophy and epistemology. His writings affected other great political authors such as Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Many Enlightenment thinkers, as well as the American Revolutionaries, were influenced by him. His contributions to republicanism and liberal theory are seen in the United States Declaration of Independence.
Most influential book:
The Father of Liberalism, John Locke, helped the rise of political philosophy in the 1600s. The book Two Treatises of Government is one of his most works. After his death, six of his works were published. In Two Treatises, he first refutes the patriarchal government structures. Furthermore, in the second, he gives the ideas for a civilized society based on rights and contracts. He argues that if a government fails to protect the rights of its people, such as life, liberty and property, it can be lawfully overthrown.
While the first treatise attacks the divine right of kings. However, the second treatise made its way into U.S law.
Other notable works: The Locke Reader, Some Thoughts on Education
16. Plato
About the author:
A Greek philosopher and a political author, Plato lived during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. He established the Academy and the Platonist school of thought. On the European continent, it became the first institution of higher learning.
Plato with his teacher, Socrates, and Aristotle, his student, make the most prominent figures of Ancient Greece. The philosophy that developed from Plato descended into the Western and Middle Eastern philosophies. On the other hand, he also shaped religion and spirituality.
Unlike the work of his contemporaries, Plato’s work is believed to have remained intact for over 2,400 years. In addition, his works have been read and studied throughout time.
Most influential book:
Plato innovated the dialectic forms and written dialogue in philosophy. He raised questions that later gave rise to the major areas of practical and theoretical philosophy. The words Platonic love and the Platonic solids are both derived from his name.
Republic, his most famous work, outlines his political thinking. The book is written in a discussion form with Socrates. Socrates talks about the meaning of justice and wonders whether a just man could be happier than an unjust man. Existing regimes are discussed at length. They then propose a utopian city-state. The theory of forms, the soul’s immortality, and the role of philosophy and poetry are also discussed.
In this dialogue, Socrates criticizes democracy and favours aristocracy. Many believe that these teachings led to the rise of totalitarianism. Needless to say, Plato is one of the world’s highly influential philosophers who is widely read and studied.
Other notable works: The Symposium, Allegory of the Cave
17. Henry David Thoreau
About the author:
Henry David Thoreau lived his life as a naturalist, essayist, poet, and political author. He was a leading transcendentalist.
In total, Thoreau authored 20 volumes of books, essays, articles, journals, and poetry. His lasting contributions can be seen in his writings on natural history and philosophy. He predicted the methods of ecology and environmental history. Modern-day environmentalism is developed from his two sources. His literary style consists of close observation of nature, experience, rhetoric, and lore. Furthermore, he displays a poetic sensibility, austerity, and attention to detail in his works.
A staunch abolitionist, Thoreau attacked the fugitive slave law. His philosophy explained in Civil Disobedience influenced the political thoughts and actions of many. Notable people such as Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr followed Thoreau’s philosophy.
Most influential book:
Perhaps his best-known book is Walden. It teaches and reflects on simple living in natural surroundings. At the same time, is partly a personal declaration of independence and a social experiment. It is also a journey of spiritual discovery and a manual for self-reliance. He built a cabin near Walden Pond and lived there for two years, two months, and two days. He records his experience and experiments in this book. Thus, this book successfully sells simple living and self-reliance.
Civil Disobedience also inspired social change. In this essay, Thoreau argues that people should not permit governments to become agents of injustice. He implores individuals to listen to their conscience. Thoreau was motivated by his stance on slavery and proposed disobedience to an unjust state.
Other notable works: Walking, Walden Pond
18. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
About the author:
Jean-Jacques Rousseau lived as a philosopher, writer, political author and composer. His political philosophy established the progress of the Enlightenment throughout Europe. He also influenced some aspects of the French Revolution. The development of modern political, educational and economic thought can be credited to Rousseau. His sentimental novel Julie led to the development of romanticism and pre-romanticism in fiction. His book Confessions gave rise to modern autobiographies. Rousseau’s writings increased the focus on introspection and subjectivity that later influenced modern writing.
Most influential book:
His writings also inspired the French Revolution and influenced modern political thought. The Social Contract and Discourse on Inequality are his two most acclaimed books. Social contract theory suggests that people live together in society and follow certain moral and political rules. He believed that if society lived by a social contract, it can be moral by choice and not because a superior being requires it. Rousseau says that the social contract is unwritten. It is inherited at birth. Individuals do not break laws or moral codes and, in exchange, can reap the benefits of society, such as security, education and other necessities.
On the other hand, Rousseau’s Discourse on Inequality is perhaps the best and most powerful critique of modernity. It traces the psychological effects of society on human nature and attempts to show how these were produced. His writings had a deep impact on future philosophers and thinkers.
Other notable works: Emile, Julie
Some other blogs on books you may like to read:
10 Of The Best Philosophy Books You Must Read
Conclusion:
Political authors are deep thinkers who write about complicated and thought-provoking topics. They not only present facts and philosophy but also influence society and human rights. Therefore, reading what the political authors have to say gives you a better understanding of the history, present and future of politics. It tells you why the voters, politicians and governments do what they do. At the same time, it also helps streamline one’s thinking about politics and ethics.
Finally, the list above is enough to prove that literature is not just stories or entertainment. Indeed, books have the power to bring to light the injustices happening in the world. As a result, they have a profound effect and even act as a catalyst for social reforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of the famous Indian political writers apart from Amartya Sen are Vinod Rai, Sandeep Sen, Goutam Das and Rasheed Kidwai.
Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans were the first ones known to have formulated a political philosophy, and to have analyzed political institutions.
Seven Decades Of Independent India: Ideas And Reflections, India Emerging: From Policy Paralysis To Hyper Economics and Jobonomics: India’s Employment Crisis And What the Future Holds are some good books to begin with.
You would require expert-level writing skills, and a bachelor’s degree in journalism, or a related field. Also, you must have in-depth knowledge of politics and the history of politics in general.
A political writer can work for a politician or government office, write a political column, write speeches and find writing jobs in media, government or other public groups.
.webp)
