by David Elder

Created on: March 22, 2008   Last Updated: March 25, 2008

At times, we feel helpless as individuals to influence the course of politics through our single vote. We shake our heads in frustration over the decay of moral values; a condition which spreads like a disease and infects our culture. The insatiable greed of our corporations conspires to topple our society as we sit by powerless to intervene. Our civilization awaits the hope and direction that can be provided by effective writing.

There can be no doubt that throughout the history of the written word, the writer has been a profound influence for social change. Our impotence as individuals is defeated by our ability to give voice to ethical alternatives of unprincipled behavior.

The world owes much to Aesop, born a slave in 620 BC, who created fables which were immortalized in writing by the scholars of ancient Greece. These fables contained moral lessons which are still valued today. Two hundred years later, Greece gave us Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle who are credited with being the architects of Western Civilization through their writings on politics, philosophy, logic and ethics.

Through expert composition, William Shakespeare delighted the English court and populace while lacing his plays and sonnets with lessons of morality and the perils of exhibiting a weak character. Amidst the heartache and laughter ran a principled integrity that conveyed lessons that still linger today, though written in the late 1500's.

"The Hunchback of Notre Dame" written in 1831 and "Les Miserables" in 1862 were novels by Victor Hugo who was a staunch advocate for human rights in France and around the world. His contemporary, Alexandre Dumas wrote "The Count of Monte Cristo" in 1845, decrying the treatment of prisoners in France's infamous island prison Chateau D'If, which is featured in this compelling story of revenge.

Thomas Paine's book "Common Sense" was published in 1776 and spoke of independence from tyranny and the rights of individuals. Charles Dickens in the mid 1800's wrote novels that glorified the value of compassion over self interest, and helped to influence more ethical treatment of the poor.

Harriet Beecher Stowe, who wrote the novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in 1852, brought much needed attention to the curse of slavery in America. The essay "Civil Disobedience", written in 1849 by Henry David Thoreau is a classic that chronicles the need to control government by questioning its immoral decisions.

Not all social change is without its controversy as was the case for Charles

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