Manifesto: the word is immediately redolent of revolutionaries and ideologues, of breaking down the barriers and challenging the status quo. A strongly worded manifesto can be a striking catalyst for change, a clarion call to action, and a rallying point for troops and allies, employees and supporters. A manifesto can also be something to live by, such as Leo Tolstoy’s brilliant (and still relevant) Rules for Life from 1847 – although you may wish to disregard the one about visiting brothels twice a month.
Throughout social, political and cultural history, manifestos have been used as a declaration of principles and a statement of intent. A manifesto very often defines what you oppose, as much as what you support. Trying to change the world has often begun (and sometimes ended…) with the drafting of a powerful manifesto. ‘Burn the Museums,’ screamed the Futurist Manifesto back in 1909!
