Description: Darwinism, Dominance, and Democracy : The Biological Bases of Authoritarianism, Hardcover by Somit, Albert; Peterson, Steven A., ISBN 0275958175, ISBN-13 9780275958176, Brand New, Free shipping in the US
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 characteristic—indoctrinability—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.
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Book Title: Darwinism, Dominance, and Democracy : The Biological Bases of Aut
Number of Pages: 160 Pages
Publication Name: Darwinism, Dominance, and Democracy : the Biological Bases of Authoritarianism
Language: English
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Item Height: 0.4 in
Publication Year: 1997
Subject: Philosophy & Social Aspects, Political Ideologies / Fascism & Totalitarianism, General, Anthropology / Cultural & Social, Political Ideologies / General, Political Ideologies / Democracy
Item Weight: 14.3 Oz
Type: Textbook
Author: Albert Somit, Steven Peterson
Item Length: 9.2 in
Subject Area: Political Science, Social Science, Science
Series: Human Evolution, Behavior, and Intelligence Ser.
Item Width: 6.1 in
Format: Hardcover
