Albert Somit

Somit and Peterson seek to explain two apparently contradictory yet well-established political phenomena: First, throughout human history, the vast majority of political societies have been authoritarian. Second, notwithstanding this pattern, from time to time, democracies do emerge and some even have considerable stability. A neo-Darwinian approach can help make sense of these observations. Humans - social primates - have an inborn bias toward authoritarian life, based on their tendency to engage in dominance behavior and the formation of dominance hierarchies. Reinforcing this bias is an impulse toward obedience. These factors are associated with the propensity of humans to accept authoritarian systems. Nonetheless, the authors argue, conditions of material abundance combined with another human characteristicindoctrinability - can foster the emergence and maintenance of democracies. Somit and Peterson assert that an understanding of "human nature" from an evolutionary perspective can help to explain how and why political systems have developed. They conclude by pointing to policy implications that might enhance the odds of formation and continuation of democratic forms of government. Students and scholars of political science and philosophy, sociology, and human biology will find this an intriguing study.

Biology can inform public policy in a number of ways. This volume explores the linkage of the life sciences with policy (what the book refers to as biopolicy). It features two points of departure: the implications of the neurosciences for public policy; and the implications of evolutionary theory for policy-making. The first part of the book provides an introduction to the subject of biopolicy as well as the relevance of the brain sciences and evolutionary theory for this subject. The second part considers several case studies of how these points of departure inform our knowledge of policy. Among case studies provided here are the implications for distribution of wealth, the roots of foreign policy, violent behavior, policy decision-making, and the like. In the final analysis, this book provides examples of how the life sciences can inform public policy choices. Research in Biopolitics is the only book series that focuses specifically on the relationship between biology and politics, and provides contemporary research for practitioners, including anthropologists, sociologists, economists, biopolitical researchers, as well as students of law and political science.