
Morele ambitie: stop met het verspillen van je talent en maak werk van je idealen
nonfiction-book · First published 2024

Author guide
Rutger Bregman (born 1988) is a Dutch historian, writer, and journalist. He studied history at Utrecht University and the University of California, Los Angeles, began his career at De Volkskrant, and wrote for the journalistic platform De Correspondent. His books address history, economics, anthropology, philosophy, human nature, and social change; three became international bestsellers and his work has been translated into dozens of languages. In 2024 he co-founded The School for Moral Ambition.
Catalog record updated .

nonfiction-book · First published 2024
Not sure where to begin?

Best introduction to Bregman's arguments about utopian ideas, basic income, work, and social change.

Best introduction to his central argument about human nature and the historical evidence for human cooperation.

Best starting point for his later work on meaningful careers, moral action, and changing the world.
Outside the series
nonfiction-book · 2012
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…
nonfiction-book · 2013
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…
nonfiction-book · 2014
From a universal basic income to a 15-hour workweek, from a world without borders to a world without poverty – it’s time to return to utopian thinking. Rutger Bregman takes us on a journey through history, beyond the traditional…
nonfiction-book · 2016
nonfiction-book · 2019
Der Historiker Rutger Bregman setzt sich in seinem Buch mit dem Wesen des Menschen auseinander. Anders als in der westlichen Denktradition angenommen ist der Mensch nicht böse, sondern, so Bregman, im Gegenteil: von Grund auf gut. Und…
nonfiction-book · 2021
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. Rutger Bregman is historicus en schrijver van…
nonfiction-book · 2024
pamphlet · 2020
Wenn die Deiche nicht mehr halten - Ein aufrüttelnder Appell von Bestsellerautor Rutger Bregman Eine der spürbaren Folgen der Erderwärmung ist das Ansteigen des Meeresspiegels und die Häufung von Sturmfluten. Gerade Nordeuropa wird damit…
Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian, writer, and journalist known for making research-based arguments about social change accessible to a broad audience. He is also a co-founder of The School for Moral Ambition.
Sources: rutgerbregman.com (opens in a new tab)moralambition.org (opens in a new tab)
He studied history at Utrecht University and UCLA. He began his journalism career at the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant before joining the platform De Correspondent.
Sources: rutgerbregman.com (opens in a new tab)uu.nl (opens in a new tab)
Bregman has identified Utrecht historians Maarten van Rossem, Beatrice de Graaf, and Ido de Haan as important influences. He especially admired their ability to connect rigorous historical research with clear public communication.
Source: uu.nl (opens in a new tab)
He is best known for public arguments about universal basic income, human cooperation, inequality, and moral ambition. His TED talk on poverty and cash transfers helped bring these ideas to an international audience.
Sources: ted.com (opens in a new tab)rutgerbregman.com (opens in a new tab)
Utrecht University named him its Alum of the Year in 2020. His book De meeste mensen deugen also won the 2020 NS Publieksprijs, which carries the title Book of the Year.
Sources: uu.nl (opens in a new tab)nos.nl (opens in a new tab)