Pointing to a direct link between the left-right spectra of politics and human evolution, a paper in the Journal of Phylogenetics & Evolutionary Biology by Felix Bast argues that populations with rightist political attributes follow the evolutionary path of speciation, that is splitting up of the lineage into new species whereas populations with leftist attributes result in hybridization, that is mixing of gene pools resulting in hybrid populations.
These happen because, in rightist populations, the intra-population gene pool exhibits less variability or heterogeneity whereas the inter-population heterogeneity is high resulting in speciation. In populations with leftist attributes the converse is the case with high intra population variability and low inter population variability resulting in hybridization.
Dr. Bast is an evolutionary biologist and DST-INSPIRE faculty from Central University of Punjab, Bathinda.
The major attributes of left wing are, anti-nationalism, multi-culturalism, pro-linguistic diversity, anti-religion, egalitarianism, and constrained economy. On the other hand, attributes of right wing include nationalism, uniculturalism, anti-linguistic diversity, pro-religion, anti-egalitarianism, and free economy.
Nationalism effectively constrains the human population by contributing in assortative mating, and, therefore, results in low intra-population genetic variability and high inter-population genetic heterogeneity-the two factors necessary for speciation. On the other hand, anti-nationalism results in dissassortative mating, that leads to increasing intra-population genetic heterogeneity while decreasing inter-population genetic heterogeneity-two factors for hybridization.
Human culture is a strong determinant for mating preference in human populations. In uniculturalism mating occurs within like cultures and results in low intra population variability. On the other hand, multi-culturalism leads to gene exchange between individuals from different cultures causing high intra population variability and low inter-population variability. Stereotypic policies of multi-culturalism, including tolerance to immigration and refugees, also contribute in the hybridization of genes between divulging gene pools.
Like culture, language too is a strong determinant for the mate choice. In leftist societies, due to pro-linguistic diversity policies, gene exchange between individuals of different linguistic make-ups is fostered resulting in hybridization. On the other hand, rightist policies of anti-linguistic diversity can effectively make one or a few languages prominent in the country, preserving their identity. This results in overall low intra-population genetic heterogeneity.
Religions, sects and cults encourage only within group mate choice. Because of reduced inter-religious mating, gene pools of religions will be unique, with very less intra-population variation-an efficient determinant for speciation. Leftist, irreligious, atheist and agnostic policies act as an encouragement to hybridize these divulging gene pools. The outcome will be increased intra-population genetic heterogeneity, reduced inter-population genetic heterogeneity, and hybridization.
Egalitarianism means equality of resources through the welfare state and cutting down the difference between the rich and the poor. The outcome due to this is interbreeding between the rich and poor leading to high intra population variability and low inter-population variability unlike in a capitalist free economy where there is great difference between the rich and poor populations. In such rightist economies the breeding is only within populations (rich with rich and poor with poor) leading to low intra population variability and high inter-population variability. In rightist societies therefore speciation is the result of evolution whereas in leftist populations evolution is towards hybridization.
What are the human brain regions responsible for a human being’s rightist or leftist leaning?
Dr. Bast, in the journal paper, states that the almond-shaped region in the deeper cerebral hemisphere, the amygdala, might be responsible for our rightist preferences, as this region is now deemed to be involved with natural/ancestral functions such as smell, fear, emotions, belief, instincts and so on. On the contrary, the cerebral cortex might be responsible for our leftist leanings, as this region is thought to be involved with nurture/innovation functions such as reason, logic, and intelligence. It has been recently reported that the conservatives (Rightists) had increased volume of the right amygdala compared with liberals (leftists), and liberals had increased gray matter volume in the anterior cingulate cortex compared with conservatives perfectly corroborating this assumption.
Also interesting is the fact that women might have higher amygdala to cerebral cortex ratios, thereby causing them to adopt right political spectrum; After all , women are more emotional and inclined to preserve old customs and ways of thinking. Conversely, lower amygdala to cerebral cortex ratios would render men more to the left.
