Darwin and International Relations: On the Evolutionary Origins of War and Ethnic Conflict

by Bradley A. Thayer

War, ethnic conflict, and biological terror are our greatest international challenges of the new century. War currently rages from Iraq to Colombia to Sri Lanka, genocide recently devastated Rwanda and Bosnia, anthrax spores caused panic and killed citizens in the United States, and threats of terrorism are remaking foreign policy the world over. Groundbreaking in both its scope and conclusions, Darwin and International Relations refocuses the study of international affairs through the lens of evolutionary theory. Bradley A. Thayer provides a radically new framework for investigating and explaining human and state behavior, offering penetrating insights into the origins of human and animal warfare, ethnic conflict, and the influence of epidemiology on international relations. Using ethnological and statistical studies of warfare among tribal societies, Thayer argues that humans wage war for reasons predicted by evolutionary theory—to gain and protect vital resources. He also examines the physically and emotionally stimulating effects of combat, concluding that the threat of external attack has rapidly advanced the evolution of human intelligence and social development. Thayer demonstrates that an evolutionary understanding of disease will soon become a vital part of the study of international relations as new strains of diseases emerge and advances in genetics make biological weaponry a more effective tool for states and terrorists. He also explains the roots of ethnic conflict by illuminating how xenophobia and ethnocentrism have played a significant role in human evolution. These socially and biologically conditioned responses contributed to our ancestors’ success by protecting them from disease, and although human evolution took place in a dramatically different environment, these traits remain a part of us today. An arresting examination of how ancient human behaviors of war and ethnic conflict continue to afflict the modern era, Darwin and International Relations makes a major contribution to our understanding of human history and international relations.

Genres: Evolution, War

Hardcover

First published August 13, 2004

Reviews

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bradley Thayer's book demonstrates an encyclopedic command of the literature. The volume lays out the relevance for the relevance of evolutionary theory for our understanding of international relations. Given the political furor over creationism, intelligent design, and neo-Darwinian evolutionary theory, this work serves an important purpose. Thayer demonstrates the power of evolutionary theory in explaining many of the political phenomena associated with international politics. Readers interested in the implications of evolutionary theory for international politics would be well-advised to examine this volume.

[Austin Glang · Rating 3 out of 5]

A compelling argument for realism. Thayer first demonstrates great command of the literature in narrating the shift from classical to structural realism. His summary of realism could be a great introduction to the subject outside of its purpose in his argument. The essence of his argument for the evolutionary origins of war and ethnic conflict comes by way of evolutionary sociobiology.

For me this book sits at a crossroads of interests in political philosophy and the implications of evolutionary theory for human social behavior.

I did not agree with nor totally understand Thayer's treatment of Clausewitz. After spending a great deal of time demonstrating how evolutionary theory explains politics (and hence war), Thayer concludes war cannot be the mere continuation of politics. We must instead, he insists, come to a broader definition (one that fits all forms of "warfare" in the animal kingdom). I, however, see Clausewitz's definition of war as a continuation of politics to fit Thayer's realism, insofar as he is merely explaining the biological determinants of politics. There is nothing in Clausewitz to deny such an explanation of politics (in fact he is notably absent a definition of politics), and furthermore Clausewitz operated in the realist frame.

[Konstantin Petreski · Rating 5 out of 5]

A novelty approach in understanding international political theories.