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The History of Ideas

Equality, Justice and Revolution

David Runciman

$24.99

Paperback

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English
Profile
01 February 2026

* THE TIMES BEST IDEAS BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2024
*

'A splendid book: economical, invigorating and surprising' - The Times

'He has that gift, both as a podcaster and as a writer, to illuminate abstruse and abstract ideas with human charm' - Observer

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.
By:  
Imprint:   Profile
Country of Publication:   United Kingdom
Edition:   Main
Dimensions:   Height: 200mm,  Width: 132mm,  Spine: 30mm
Weight:   260g
ISBN:   9781800815926
ISBN 10:   1800815921
Pages:   320
Publication Date:  
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Primary ,  Undergraduate
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active

David Runciman is Professor of Politics at the University of Cambridge. His previous books include The Handover, Confronting Leviathan, Where Power Stops and How Democracy Ends. He writes regularly about politics for the London Review of Books, and hosts the acclaimed podcasts Talking Politics and Past Present Future.

Reviews for The History of Ideas: Equality, Justice and Revolution

Runciman is a superbly lucid and conversational guide - this is a perfect starting place for anyone who wants to get their teeth into the history of political philosophy * The Times * The History of Ideas still feels like the best book about modern politics I've read in ages ... a splendid book: economical, invigorating and surprising -- James Marriott Timely ... [Runciman's] page-turning volume of essays - a study of intellectuals who sought to improve the politics and societies of their day - makes you feel a little more learned than you did before ... he has that gift, both as a podcaster and as a writer, to illuminate abstruse and abstract ideas with human charm * Observer * Timely ... important * Irish Times * Praise for Confronting Leviathan and David Runciman: 'Bracingly intelligent ... a wonderful read -- Mark Mazower * Guardian * Incredibly timely ... wonderful elegance and clarity through which complex ideas are presented ... That the book helps make thinking about the state enjoyable is just the least of its many exceptional qualities -- Pascal Donohue * Irish Times * A brilliant introduction for anyone looking to engage with political debates beyond the headlines ... Excellent -- Joshua Pugh Ginn * Herald * One of the great modern writers of democracy -- Anne Applebaum In our time of Trump and Putin, the re-emergence of far-right fascism and the consolidation of global kleptocracy, the ideas Runciman explores have never been so pertinent -- Ian Hughes * The Irish Times *


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