Abstract

The origins of such varied features of contemporary life as the national state and the desire to uphold generous and civic social norms are to be found in a combination of conflict between groups and attenuation of both inequalities and conflicts within groups. In contrast to the adoption of a better tool or a more productive crop, which can be adopted by a single individual, a new institution works only if most people adopt it. This explains why collective action against those benefitting from the status quo at the expense of others, as well as conflict between groups governed by different norms and institutions, figures so prominently in our capacity to adapt to changing circumstances and to harness new knowledge for human benefit.

Links

Publisher Full Text

Authors

Bowles S

Institution

Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA. samuel.bowles@gmail.com

Source

Science (New York, N.Y.) 336:6083 2012 May 18 pg 876-9

MeSH

Altruism
Conflict (Psychology)
Cooperative Behavior
Cultural Evolution
History, 18th Century
History, 19th Century
History, 20th Century
History, Ancient
Humans
Political Systems
Social Behavior
Social Values
War

Pub Type(s)

Historical Article
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22605768