
Rutger Bregman (born April 26, 1988) is a Dutch historian and author. His books Humankind: A Hopeful History (2020) and Utopia for Realists: How We Can Build the Ideal World (2017) were both Sunday Times and New York Times Best Sellers and have been translated in 46 languages. In 2024, he co-founded The School for Moral Ambition, a non-profit organization inspired by his latest book Moral Ambition (2025) that wants to help as many people as possible to take the step towards a job with a positive impact.
From the author of Utopia For Realists, a revolutionary argument that the innate goodness and cooperation of human beings has been the greatest factor in our successIf one basic principle has served as the bedrock of bestselling author Rutger Bregman's thinking, it is that every progressive idea -- whether it was the abolition of slavery, the advent of democracy, women's suffrage, or the ratification of marriage equality -- was once considered radical and dangerous by the mainstream opinion of its time. With Humankind, he brings that mentality to bear against one of our most entrenched ideas: namely, that human beings are by nature selfish and self-interested.By providing a new historical perspective of the last 200,000 years of human history, Bregman sets out to prove that we are in fact evolutionarily wired for cooperation rather than competition, and that our instinct to trust each other has a firm evolutionary basis going back to the beginning of Homo sapiens. Bregman systematically debunks our understanding of the Milgram electrical-shock experiment, the Zimbardo prison experiment, and the Kitty Genovese "bystander effect."In place of these, he offers little-known true stories: the tale of twin brothers on opposing sides of apartheid in South Africa who came together with Nelson Mandela to create peace; a group of six shipwrecked children who survived for a year and a half on a deserted island by working together; a study done after World War II that found that as few as 15% of American soldiers were actually capable of firing at the enemy.The ultimate goal of Humankind is to demonstrate that while neither capitalism nor communism has on its own been proven to be a workable social system, there is a third option: giving "citizens and professionals the means (left) to make their own choices (right)." Reorienting our thinking toward positive and high expectations of our fellow man, Bregman argues, will reap lasting success. Bregman presents this idea with his signature wit and frankness, once again making history, social science and economic theory accessible and enjoyable for lay readers.
Universal basic income. A 15-hour workweek. Open borders. Does it sound too good to be true? One of Europe's leading young thinkers shows how we can build an ideal world today. After working all day at jobs we often dislike, we buy things we don't need. Rutger Bregman, a Dutch historian, reminds us it needn't be this way—and in some places it isn't. Rutger Bregman's TED Talk about universal basic income seemed impossibly radical when he delivered it in 2014. A quarter of a million views later, the subject of that video is being seriously considered by leading economists and government leaders the world over. It's just one of the many utopian ideas that Bregman proves is possible today. Utopia for Realists is one of those rare books that takes you by surprise and challenges what you think can happen. From a Canadian city that once completely eradicated poverty, to Richard Nixon's near implementation of a basic income for millions of Americans, Bregman takes us on a journey through history, and beyond the traditional left-right divides, as he champions ideas whose time have come. Every progressive milestone of civilization—from the end of slavery to the beginning of democracy—was once considered a utopian fantasy. Bregman's book, both challenging and bracing, demonstrates that new utopian ideas, like the elimination of poverty and the creation of the fifteen-hour workweek, can become a reality in our lifetime. Being unrealistic and unreasonable can in fact make the impossible inevitable, and it is the only way to build the ideal world.
by Rutger Bregman
Rating: 3.8 ⭐
From the author of the New York Times bestsellers Humankind and Utopia for Realists—“a more politically radical Malcolm Gladwell” (The New York Times)—comes a bold manifesto daring us to harness our talents and transform our idealism into action, all with the goal of making the world a wildly better place.A career consists of 2,000 workweeks, and how you spend that time is one of the most important decisions of your life. Still, millions of people are stuck in in mind-numbing, pointless, or just plain harmful jobs.There’s an antidote to this waste of talent, and it’s called moral ambition. Moral ambition is the will to be among the best, but with different measures of success. Not a fancy title, fat salary, or corner office, but a career dedicated to the best solutions to the world’s biggest problems— whether that means tackling climate change, making pandemics history or fighting Big Tobacco.In Moral Ambition, internationally bestselling author Rutger Bregman reveals how our conventional definitions of success are harming us and the planet, and shows how we can shift the focus from personal gain to societal benefit. In the process, he explains, we will join a growing movement of pioneers who are already living out this ethos. They’re the builders, the problem-solvers, the doers who have chosen a path less traveled. A guidebook to finding that path for ourselves, Moral Ambition reminds us that the real measure of success lies not in what we accumulate, but in what we contribute, and shows how we, too, can build a legacy that truly matters.
Als er nu één verhaal verteld moet worden, dan is dat het verhaal van Johan van Veen. Ingenieur. Vader van het Deltaplan. Een van de grootste Nederlanders aller tijden. Maar vrijwel niemand die hem kent.Het verhaal van Johan is het verhaal van Nederland. Een verhaal dat sinds de Watersnoodramp van 1953 in de vergetelheid is geraakt, maar door de stijgende zeespiegel relevanter is dan ooit.En dat laat zien: we kunnen de strijd tegen het water opnieuw winnen.
Hoe is het toch mogelijk dat de mensen waar we overduidelijk niet zonder kunnen – vuilnismannen, politieagenten, verplegers – zo slecht verdienen, terwijl onbelangrijke, overbodige of zelfs schadelijke bankiers, lobbyisten en consultants veel beter boeren?Dit is de vraag waarmee Rutger Bregman en Jesse Frederik de patstelling in het debat over ongelijkheid doorbreken. Het is hoog tijd om een oude vraag opnieuw te stellen: welke rijkdom is echt verdiend?
In normale tijden heeft een land maar weinig helden nodig. Maar wat als de tijden niet normaal zijn? Dit is het verhaal van Arnold Douwes, een van de grootste verzetsstrijders van Nederland.
De geschiedenis van de vooruitgang nadert haar einde. Wij zijn rijker, gezonder en veiliger dan ooit, maar voelen ons steeds vaker tekortgedaan. Waar komt dat onbehagen vandaan? Waarom heeft de vooruitgang zijn beloftes niet ingelost? Op zoek naar antwoorden neemt de talentvolle historicus Rutger Bregman de lezer mee op een reis van de Oerknal tot nu, van het vlaggenschip van Columbus naar het laboratorium van Thomas Edison, van de oudste grotschilderingen naar de beursvloeren op Wall Street.Het is een geschiedenis die iedereen aangaat en die veel zegt over de echte uitdagingen van de eenentwintigste eeuw. Bregman verweeft natuurkunde en archeologie, biologie en psychologie, filosofie en geschiedenis in één wervelend betoog. Hij vertelt het verhaal van het uitzonderlijke zoogdier de mens, die zich in zijn uithoek van het heelal vastklampt aan verhalen, maar nu aan het eind van zijn Latijn lijkt. De geschiedenis van de vooruitgang is een zoektocht naar een nieuw vooruitgangsgeloof in een tijdperk dat er maar niet in kan voorzien.
by Rutger Bregman
Rating: 3.3 ⭐
Het verleden staat voortdurend in het middelpunt van onze belangstelling – en de aandacht ervoor lijkt almaar toe te nemen. Toch weten we weinig van vroeger. Er zijn zelfs historici die beweren dat je van de geschiedenis niet eens kunt leren. Maar tegelijkertijd spannen politici, columnisten en andere profeten het verleden steeds weer voor hun karretje.De jonge historicus Rutger Bregman bindt de strijd aan met de moderne geschiedvervalsers. Hij laat juist zien dat het verleden vol zit met waardevolle lessen. Met de kennis van toen gaat hij voorbij het hobbyisme, zet hij academische scrupules aan de kant en gaat hij provocerend op zoek naar de echte eyeopeners die het verleden biedt. Van pedofielen tot straatterroristen, van islamisering tot secularisering, van de Arabische lente tot WikiLeaks, van Geert Wilders tot Job Cohen – Bregman komt steeds weer met originele dwarsverbanden en verrassende conclusies. Verplichte kost voor iedereen die verder wil gaan dan de waan van de dag.
Ieder jaar weer pakken duizenden studenten het leren en maken van hun tentamens helemaal verkeerd aan.Zij besteden hun tijd inefficiënt, stellen verkeerde prioriteiten en verprutsen de rest op het laatste moment. Doorgewinterd student Rutger Bregman biedt met dit boekje 30 tips om efficiënter te studeren en betere resultaten te halen. Geen vage adviezen maar keiharde en onconventionele tips om dat tentamen koste wat kost te halen. Of je nu wat van het vak begrijpt of niet!
In a powerful call to action, historian and journalist Rutger Bregman posits that we should all be “morally ambitious,” revoking the pursuit of success without the essential ingredient of doing good for the world. Audible Editor Emily discusses his new book on the topic, and how we can all get there with the help of The School for Moral Ambition.
Please Note That The Following Individual Books As Per Original UK ISBN and UK EDITION Cover Image In this Listing shall be Titles In This Utopia for Realists [Paperback] Humankind [Paperback] Moral Ambition [Hardcover] Rutger Bregman 3 Books Collection Set (Utopia for Realists, Humankind & Moral Ambition): Utopia for In Utopia for Realists, Rutger Bregman shows that we can construct a society with visionary ideas that are, in fact, wholly implementable. Every milestone of civilisation - from the end of slavery to the beginning of democracy - was once considered a utopian fantasy. New utopian ideas such as universal basic income and a fifteen-hour work week can become reality in our lifetime. Humankind makes a new that it is realistic, as well as revolutionary, to assume that people are good. By thinking the worst of others, we bring out the worst in our politics and economics too. In this major book, internationally bestselling author Rutger Bregman takes some of the world's most famous studies and events and reframes them, providing a new perspective on the last 200,000 years of human history. From the real-life Lord of the Flies to the Blitz. Moral Ambition [Hardcover]: Every day we're bombarded with methods, mantras and life hacks that promise us wellness and prosperity - while time and talent remain some of our most squandered resources. The average full-time worker will spend 80,000 hours at their are you making the most of them? Do you truly believe in what you do, day in, day out? What if you want to do something more with your limited time on the planet?9781408893210/9781408898956/9781526680600