Roger Pearson is a distinguished anthropologist who believes that the doctrine of egalitarianism which now dominates the Western nations could lead to their collective downfall. He attributes this sorry state of affairs to the twin influences of Christianity and Marxism since both creeds preach the idea of equality even though the hierarchical structures of the Christian churches and Marxist states show that, as ever, some are more equal than others.

Starting with a look at how the ancient civilisations viewed heredity he then describes how Francis Galton and Charles Darwin challenged the scientific establishment of their day and how they were, for a time, supported by many who were politically on the left. However, with the rise of Marxism this changed and as egalitarianism penetrated the academic world the persecution of hereditarian scholars began and has continued in universities and the media. Pearson describes how several such scholars have been prevented from publishing their views and, as a recent case in Britain demonstrates (Timson, 1997), censorship by the politically correct rent-a-mob is alive and well.

In his final chapter Pearson hopes that the rapid progress in human genetic research will expose the fallacy of the doctrine that human beings are biologically equal and will lead to the development of humane and benevolent eugenic policies. He suggests that if Homo sapiens does not do this our species will either decline until it undergoes a painful, involuntary eugenic process of evolutionary reselection or becomes extinct.

This book should convince anyone whose mind is not already closed to the idea that developments in human genetics now and in the future will require serious rethinking of the current egalitarian doctrine, at the very least. Otherwise, as Pearson predicts, future generations, if there are any, will be amazed that a society capable of determining and understanding the genetic code of mankind preferred to ignore its meaning in favour of outdated, prescientific, and dysgenic theories.

John Timson

Reference: Timson, J. Try to Publish and be Damned, Galton Institute Newsletter, March 1997, p 8.