THE world of political theory is littered with traps for unwary scientists. That has not discouraged Randy Thornhill, an evolutionary psychologist at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. He claims that the nature of a country鈥檚 political system 鈥� specifically, whether it is a democracy or a dictatorship 鈥� is determined by psychological biases triggered by the threat of disease (See 鈥淕enes, germs and the origins of politics鈥�). It sounds simplistic, but how does the evidence stack up? Thornhill can invoke a handful of studies in support of his claim, and we may discover more by examining whether improvements in public health lead to democracy taking root.
However many gaps remain in Thornhill鈥檚 idea, it does provide grit for the oyster. Whether a pearl of wisdom is the ultimate result remains to be seen.