Welfare, Ethnicity and Altruism: New Data and Evolutionary Theory

Welfare, Ethnicity, and Altruismapplies the controversial theory of 'Ethnic Nepotism', first formulated by Irenaus Eibl-Eibesfeldt and Pierre van den Berghe, to the modern welfare state (both are authors in this volume). This theory states that ethnic groups resemble large families whose members are prone to cooperate due to "kin altruism". Recent empirical findings in economics and political science offer confirmatory evidence. The book presents two separate studies that compare welfare expenditures around the world, both indicating that the more ethnically mixed a population becomes, the greater is its resistance to redistributive policies. This book brings together a distinguished group of scholars: evolutionary biologists, political scientists, sociologists, anthropologists, economists, primatologists, and human ethologists. It breaks new ground in advancing our understanding of multicultural politics, ethnic competition, and conflict.