by Tim O'Dell

Created on: February 10, 2009

Writing has been the biggest influence on social change since history began. From the moment the Ancient Egyptians starting painting images on Papyrus scrolls and tomb walls, the ideas of great thinkers have had an effect on history. From Plato, to Shakespeare, to Karl Marx, no other media has impacted social change like the written word.

The Ancient Greek world revered its writers, artists and thinkers. This magnificent civilisation was built on its orators and their writings. When Plato wrote The Republic, in response to the execution of his friend and colleague Socrates, little did he know the influence his philosophy would have through the ages. His thoughts on justice, literature, philosophy, democracy, oligarchy, and tyranny remain as relevant today as when they were written 2,500 years ago. They can't have failed to exert influence on literate people through the ages, guiding social change through Kings and leaders.

Regardless of religious belief, The Holy Bible has probably had the greatest impact on social change than anything else in history. The church began as a gathering of people of all ages, nations and status, coming together to worship Christ, and help others, in unity. This was unknown in a 1st Century world where civilization was hierarchical and the rich, down to the poor, kept their status for life and did not mingle. Today love and community are seen as being of increasing importance in a fractured society. This would never have been the case if The Bible, especially Paul's letters to churches in the New Testament, hadn't been the catalyst for change in every area of civilization.

It's at the times of greatest change, when civilisations seem to take a leap in their cultural and social development, that we have seen the greatest writers emerge. At the end of the dark ages, during the 14th Century, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote his tales of love, life and laughter, ushering in the age of light where isolated communities began to form into a society. Later, during the reign of the Tudors, William Shakespeare wrote plays that appealed to peasants and royalty alike. From open theatres like The Globe, to the palaces of Whitehall, his tales of treachery, tragedy and farce entertained society and influenced their thinking in ways that changed their world.

Throughout history, great writing has endured. Whether it has recorded this history, been part of it, or influenced it. The ways in which writing has impacted society is incalculable. From the Diary of

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