What novels have had a substantial real-world effect?

[MsAmerica]

What novels have had such a powerful impact that they triggered an actual change in socio-political policies or overall public opinion on an important subject?

I can only think of two, offhand:
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe
The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair Any others?

As far as I know, books like Grapes of Wrath may have had enthusiasts, but by the time it came out, it was too late for any relevant policy. And I know that Dickens may have influenced public policy, but I don’t think it was due to a particular novel.

The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

I have no idea what citme is and I am not going to get into a debate with you. You know full well that anti-Zionism does not equate antisemitism.

Wasn't Dr. Banardo, founder of Banardo's, inspired by Charles Dickens? He set up a lot of the early children's homes, which were better than orphanages which simply tried (badly) to keep the children alive, he aimed for a better standard of nutrition to ensure better health and set up paths into training and employment for the children when they grew up. Still a world away from what is considered ideal today but much better than the alternatives.

Actually it often does as is well documented, though it doesn't always. You could have just said it was influential. Noone else has expressed value judgements on this thread. To say people 'fell for' Zionist agendas suggests you think there is something wrong with the right to self determination of the Jewish people.

Eat, Pray, Love, which is regarded as the epitome of "me" culture and personal growth, especially for early middle aged women - aiming for self fulfilment as the solution to your problems rather than eg staying home and volunteering. It helped set off a huge interest in the East as a source of help in doing this - not sure Italy benefitted in the same way!

Anne Frank's Diary. It opened a lot of eyes worldwide to the horror and cruelty of the Nazi regime at the time it was written.

@FruAashild@Redstarcloud- I’m always not a great fan on texts with a message, but Black Beauty is my one exception. Sadly, that’s because there are so many ways that people can be horrible to horses, which means the book never gets boring. I thought of it recently when there were reports in the news of dogs having their ears cropped - I remember feeling quite shocked that this was still happening as it gets a mention in BB.

Continuing my French philosopher theme, but this time a trivial suggestion - Voltaire’s Candide as the book most likely to be quoted in newspapers.

I came on to say Black Beauty but you beat me to it. Anna Sewell didn't write it as a children's book (which it is often seen as now); she wrote it to highlight the harsh treatment of horses and to show people who work with horses how they should be treated.

Its huge success directly led to the enactment of a number of animal welfare laws.

Other books have been part of a public conversation or led to sympathy for particular groups of people but that doesn't always lead to action.

The Water Babies raised awareness of the terrible conditions endured by "climbing boys" and may have contributed to the Chimney Sweepers Regulation Act.

I'm not sure that he was inspired by Charles Dickens; I think it was more being confronted by the reality of child poverty when he moved to London. The story that's always stuck with me is that he had to turn away a boy from one of the early homes because it was full and then a couple of days later the boy was found dead from starvation and exposure. I grew up with the story of him personally coming across the boy's body but that could by mythologising.

I've just got sidetracked into looking at the Barnado's website which has an interesting section about their history.
Our history | Barnardo's

Lady Chatterly's Lover!

And maybe Hard Times? That was serialised in the paper and hugely popular at the time.

That’s a good one!

It really did. It must have influenced The Factory Act, which was the first ever act relating to child welfare, plus policies on poverty in general - poor laws, etc. Dickens work was really influential.

They were mostly, or all serialised I think. Dickens serialised some if them in his own magazine! But you're right it was a format that allowed wide distribution and impact.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a massive one.

What about Mary Walstoncroft - Vindication of the Rights of Women. I’ve not read it but probably should. Edit - it’s not fiction - doh!

1984

I was so closed to doing the same and even googled Mary Wollstonecraft as I couldn’t remember how to spell it! But yes, not a work of fiction.

Speaking of googling spellings, I just had to check this one too - Radclyffe Hall The Well of Loneliness.

The first Bridget Jones book is responsible for Christmas jumpers as we know them now, in their ironic form. When she goes to the drinks party and Mark Darcy turns round in the jumper knitted by his mum. The book description is very funny.

Die Leiden des Jungen Werthers (The sorrows of young weather) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Sparked the Romantic Movement in Europe and was said to have caused many copycat suicides.

It's a fantastic book but I didn't know that it had a RL impact. Any more info?

The Waterbabies by Charles Kingsley led to the abolition of child chimney sweeps.

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell was allegedly the book that won the Labour Party landslide after WW2.

wait, so Keir Starmer is responsible for Christmas Jumper Day?! mind.blown

It was published at the height of civil rights activism in America, it’s widely thought that MLK’s speech where he spoke about wanting children to be judged by the content of their character was a direct reference to the novel. It has been a foundational text in America schools ever since and often further afield (I first read it in school). Barack Obama said that it was the one story that “changed the way we saw each other, and then the way we saw ourselves". It had massive cultural resonance and, even as things improved, was a timely reminder to never go back to those times. It’s in the fabric of history as much as change of law to be honest. Kids being brought up to see injustice for what it is.

Water Babies, yes, but Ragged Trousered Philanthropists? Can you provide more info about direct impact of RTP? I was going to mention it, then didn't as I could really think of its wider RL impact outside already socialist circles (and you needed more than that to win thst election)