Darwinism, Dominance, and Democracy: The Biological Bases of Authoritarianism

by Steven A. Peterson and 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...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0275958175
• ISBN13: 9780275958176
• Release Date: March 1997
• Publisher: Praeger
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.94 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.1" x 9.2"