Rutger Bregman Books
Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian and author known for his work on history, economics, and social progress. He gained international recognition for his advocacy of universal basic income and his appearances at major global forums.
Known for: Humankind: A Hopeful History, Utopia for Realists: How We Can Build the Ideal World
Books by Rutger Bregman
Humankind: A Hopeful History
In this book, historian Rutger Bregman explores human nature and argues that most people are fundamentally good. Drawing on insights from history, psychology, biology, and economics, he shows that coo...
Utopia for Realists: How We Can Build the Ideal World
In this thought-provoking book, historian Rutger Bregman argues that ideas once considered utopian—such as universal basic income, a fifteen-hour workweek, and open borders—are now within reach. Drawi...
Key Insights from Rutger Bregman
Historical Overview of Human Nature Theories
From the very beginning of moral philosophy, two archetypes have shaped the debate on human nature: Hobbes and Rousseau. Hobbes saw humanity as a species driven by fear and selfishness, constrained only by a powerful ruler. His infamous description of life as 'solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and sho...
From Humankind: A Hopeful History
Scientific Foundations of Altruism and Trust
If we look beyond philosophy into science, the evidence for human goodness becomes undeniable. Evolution has not favored the strongest or the most violent—it has favored the kind. Studies in evolutionary biology reveal that cooperation offers profound survival advantages. Groups that work together o...
From Humankind: A Hopeful History
Historical perspective
It’s easy to forget that almost everything we take for granted today once sounded utopian. There was a time when democracy was derided as mob rule, when the abolition of slavery was thought to defy nature, and when women’s suffrage was mocked as absurd. Yet, through the centuries, reformers refused ...
From Utopia for Realists: How We Can Build the Ideal World
The case for universal basic income (UBI)
Among the ideas that most animate me is universal basic income: the notion that every citizen should receive a guaranteed sum of money, no strings attached. This isn’t a handout but a recognition of trust in human potential. In history and in experiments across the world—from the Dauphin project in ...
From Utopia for Realists: How We Can Build the Ideal World
About Rutger Bregman
Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian and author known for his work on history, economics, and social progress. He gained international recognition for his advocacy of universal basic income and his appearances at major global forums. His writing has been featured in The Correspondent, The Guardian, a...
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Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian and author known for his work on history, economics, and social progress. He gained international recognition for his advocacy of universal basic income and his appearances at major global forums. His writing has been featured in The Correspondent, The Guardian, a...
Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian and author known for his work on history, economics, and social progress. He gained international recognition for his advocacy of universal basic income and his appearances at major global forums. His writing has been featured in The Correspondent, The Guardian, and other major outlets.
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Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian and author known for his work on history, economics, and social progress. He gained international recognition for his advocacy of universal basic income and his appearances at major global forums.
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