DARWINISM, DOMINANCE, AND DEMOCRACY HOME PAGE

IS DEMOCRACY IN OUR GENES?  IS IT HUMAN NATURE TO BE 
AUTHORITARIAN?  CAN HUMAN NATURE SUPPORT 
DEMOCRACY?

Interesting questions, critical to consider as we approach the 
21st century.  The new book, Darwinism, Dominance, and Democracy 
(authored by Albert Somit and Steven A. Peterson and published by 
Praeger Publishers), posits thought-provoking explanations as to why 
democratic societies are the exception rather than the norm and how 
humans may be "hard-wired" for the rule of the few over the many.  Like 
our primate relatives, we tend to strive toward dominance and willingly 
accept living in hierarchical societies.

How widespread is democracy?  Has it steadily gained ground over the 
last century?  If democracy goes against humans' best evolutionary 
interests, how do we overcome what may be an innate tendency to 
strive for political and personal dominance?  Perhaps the human 
evolution-based tendency toward indoctrinability is part of the answer. 
Perhaps humankind's willingness to accept ideas and values as guides 
to our behavior--even against our evolution-based impulses toward 
authoritarianism--might be used to facilitate democracy. The authors' 
thesis may not support people's optimism about freedom, protecting 
minority rights, and majority rule.  Nonetheless, their investigation of 
how human nature may be used to actually enhance the odds of 
democracy must be confronted.

The above are questions raised and dealt with in this book, published 
by Praeger Publishers.  For information about ordering copies of this 
book from Praeger, click on Praeger Publishers' home page for this 
book below.