The Political Gene

The Political Gene is a fascinating examination of the way that many scientists and politicians have sought to use Charles Darwin`s ideas to solve social problems, or to bolster political ideologies. Sewell`s beautifully crafted narrative shows us what drove people to put a black man on display in a zoo, forcibly sterilize a pair of innocent teenage sisters, lock up a British girl for eighteen years for a petty theft, murder disabled people in Nazi Germany, and slam shut America`s`Golden Door`. In a world where the gene becomes ever more central, the fresh and stimulating arguments in The Political Gene make this an explosive, essential, and utterly intriguing book.`An accessible, thought-provoking book that refuses to adopt pre-determined battle lines in an argument that looks set to continue raging`- Metro, Non-Fiction of the Week.`The Political Gene by Dennis Sewell is the only one of the Darwin books that actually explains what really matters - the consequences of the adoption of his theory for the conduct of human affairs`- Evening Standard, Books of the Year.`This chilling study reveals how Darwinism became a justification for hateful ideologies`- Sunday Times.`Scholarly and shocking`- GQ.`The best book to have come out of the Darwin centenary`- Word Magazine.