1866 – 1946
Herbert George Wells (1866–1946) was a British author, futurist, and social critic whose work spanned science fiction, history, and political philosophy. Beyond his celebrated novels, Wells developed a serious body of political thought centered on world government, democratic internationalism, and the rational reorganization of human society. His non-fiction writings, particularly 'The Outline of History' and 'The Open Conspiracy,' articulated a vision of global democratic order that influenced early internationalist movements.
Authored 'The Open Conspiracy' (1928), a blueprint for a global cooperative movement to supersede nation-states
Wrote 'The Outline of History' (1920), synthesizing world history to argue for transnational human solidarity
Drafted an early formulation of universal human rights ('The Rights of Man,' 1940) that influenced mid-century rights discourse
Advocated consistently for a World State and democratic world government as the solution to war and nationalism
Pioneered the genre of scientific romance while using fiction as a vehicle for social and political critique