manifestos

Manifestos are public declarations of intentions, motives, or views issued by individuals or groups. They seek to persuade, justify a position, and mobilize supporters, often presenting a coherent program or agenda. Although used in politics, manifestos have long appeared in art, culture, and social movements, serving to crystallize a worldview and to challenge established orders.

Historically, manifestos gained prominence during the 19th and 20th centuries. Political manifestos set forth ideologies and programs, with the Communist Manifesto (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels shaping modern socialist and labor movements. In art and culture, manifestos articulated avant-garde revisions of taste and technique, exemplified by the Futurist Manifesto (1909), Dada Manifestos around 1916–1920, and the Surrealist Manifesto (1924). Other notable examples include the SCUM Manifesto (1967) by Valerie Solanas and various feminist, nationalist, and environmental manifestos produced in different eras.

Characteristics commonly found in manifestos include a clear denunciation of the current state of affairs, a diagnostic critique, and a proposed program or set of demands. They are often polemical, concise, and rhetorical, with calls to action designed to inspire collective effort. Form and publication vary, ranging from pamphlets and newspapers to books, manifestos, or digital statements.

Impact can be substantial when manifestos galvanize political movements, influence policy, or redefine cultural discourse; they may also attract critique for dogmatism or exclusion. As a literary and political genre, manifestos continue to emerge in contemporary debates about power, society, and creativity.