<h2 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper">Mind over matter</h2>

An elderly German gentleman is shuffling round the British Library. It is 1867 and he has just published the first part of Das Kapital. Given his shabby suit, you would not guess that his book was about to change history.

The man was Karl MarxA 19th-Century German economist and philosopher who argued that capitalism was doomed to collapse. and his political theories dominated 20th Century politics. But most big ideas - from human rights to Einstein's theory of relativityGeneral relativity is the basic idea that instead of an invisible force that attracts objects to one another, gravity is a warping of space. The more massive the object, the more it warps the space around it. - started in the same small way.

So, which scholar or scientist is working on a theory that will shape the 21st Century?

The economist John Maynard KeynesOne of the most influential economists of the 20th Century, best known for his Keynesian economic theories on the causes of unemployment. once wrote that "the world is ruled by little else" except "the ideas of economists and political philosophers".

However, many others believe that it is the actions of individuals and groups that change history. Either way, paying attention to new ideas gives us a better sense of what the future holds.

Are ideas more powerful than armies?

Yes: The risks of AI, protecting the climate, gender and sexual equality - one of these ideas will surely inspire politicians or the public to shape the future of our world.

No: Ideas can be interesting and even influential, but the wars and elections taking place across the world in 2024 will be much more important than the ideas of any single thinker.

Or... The policies and theories used by politicians and activists must come from somewhere, and by studying new ideas we can make informed guesses about which direction our society is moving.

Karl Marx - A 19th-Century German economist and philosopher who argued that capitalism was doomed to collapse.

Theory of Relativity - General relativity is the basic idea that instead of an invisible force that attracts objects to one another, gravity is a warping of space. The more massive the object, the more it warps the space around it.

Culture wars - A cultural conflict between groups in a society.

Diplomat - An official representing a country abroad.

Decarbonisation - Removing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the output of the economy.

Artificial Intelligence - Artificial intelligence, or "AI," is the ability for a computer to think and learn. With AI, computers can perform tasks that are typically done by people, including processing language, problem-solving, and learning.

Inflation - An increase in the price of goods in an economy. 

Cost of living - The money that someone needs to afford basic food, housing and clothes.

Identity politics - Politics based on a particular identity, for example race or ethnicity, gender or sexuality, nationality or social background.

John Maynard Keynes - One of the most influential economists of the 20th Century, best known for his Keynesian economic theories on the causes of unemployment.