Evolution and Revolution

Abstract

This chapter looks at a cluster of topics centered on the question: what can be done about inequitable conventions of resource division between social categories? First, the chapter outlines which social preconditions that must be in place in order for inequitable type-based conventions to arise at all. These include the recognition of social categories, and conditioning of behavior based on these categories. There is then a discussion of the possibility of eliminating these preconditions. The chapter moves on to consider how one might go about moving from inequitable to equitable norms for division of resources. Ultimately, the picture is one in which social justice is an endless battle. The forces of cultural evolution pull populations toward inequity, and combating these forces requires constant vigilance.