Darwin and International Relations Quotes

“Nationalism implies fealty to one's nation; it is not the same as patriotism, which is loyalty to one's state.”
― Bradley A. Thayer, Darwin and International Relations: On the Evolutionary Origins of War and Ethnic Conflict

“War is conducted for political purposes but also to gain the resources necessary for life itself or to maintain a standard of living. This was true in our evolutionary past.”
― Bradley A. Thayer, Darwin and International Relations: On the Evolutionary Origins of War and Ethnic Conflict

“In sum, females are more likely to restrain from organized aggression such as warfare because it has little reproductive utility in either an absolute or relative sense.”
― Bradley A. Thayer, Darwin and International Relations: On the Evolutionary Origins of War and Ethnic Conflict

“For males, females are the limiting reproductive resource, and a benefit of aggression is increased access to females.”
― Bradley A. Thayer, Darwin and International Relations: On the Evolutionary Origins of War and Ethnic Conflict

“Among primates, males are much more likely than females to engage in aggression-aggressive coalitions are sexually dimorphic in mammals-because it gives males a greater chance of reproductive success.”
― Bradley A. Thayer, Darwin and International Relations: On the Evolutionary Origins of War and Ethnic Conflict

“Ethological studies of warfare in the animal kingdom have shown that warfare is not unique to humans, but is conducted by ants and chimpanzees as well. This fact is significant because it suggests that warfare has contributed to fitness in several animal species, not just humans. Thus evolutionary theory may have dealt one more blow to human pride.”
― Bradley A. Thayer, Darwin and International Relations: On the Evolutionary Origins of War and Ethnic Conflict

“Thus, resources remain a significant source of conflict in international relations, just as they were in humans' evolutionary past.”
― Bradley A. Thayer, Darwin and International Relations: On the Evolutionary Origins of War and Ethnic Conflict

“When a state or coalition becomes dominant, it will worry greatly about challenges from conspecifics, just as the alpha male gorilla or lion worries about threats to his resources. Just as he may kill other males, or drive them off, or forge a coalition with them to maintain his power, the hegemonic state does the same with respect to its challengers. Just as alpha males living in what ethologists term "dominance hierarchies" bring stability and other important social benefits to the pack, herd, or pride, so too does the hegemon bring stability and the benefits of other collective goods to international relations.”
― Bradley A. Thayer, Darwin and International Relations: On the Evolutionary Origins of War and Ethnic Conflict