Guided Evolution of Society: A Systems View

Guided Evolution of Society: A Systems View

by Bela H. BanathyKluwerDordrecht2001xviii + 415 pp.ISBN 0-306-46382-2hardback, £65.00 or $95.00Contemporary Systems Thinking Series

The aim of this book is no less than its title suggests, namely the exploration of the means whereby the human race might consciously guide its own future evolution as a society. It is acknowledged that evolution of physical attributes has virtually ceased, and has been replaced by evolution of mental and cultural characteristics. These characteristics have evolved to a stage where we are able to view ourselves and to speculate about our own origins and to form theories of evolution and so on. An important part of this has been the evolution of consciousness, and now we also have consciousness of evolution. A reasonable next step is to utilise this understanding and to plan to guide future evolution in favourable directions. The change is to be brought about by peaceful and democratic means and this is no less than a blueprint for the future of humanity.

The suggestion raises a number of obvious questions, one of which is about the degree to which evolution can usefully be guided. Banathy refers to an Evolutionary System (ES) and a distinct Evolutionary Guidance System (EGS). It is certainly true, as demonstrated by achievements of plant and animal breeding (though these are not examples quoted by Banathy) that evolution of physical features can usefully be guided, in these cases by an EGS that is distinct from the ES. In the social context the EGS has to be a part of the ES and it is not clear that the two can usefully be separated, especially since the ultimate goals of the EGS are presumably set within the ES. The notional separation is reminiscent of that of an "operational automaton" and a "learning automaton" in discussions of learning or self-organising systems.

Another point that is readily illustrated by plant and animal breeding is that there are dangers in trying to advance more rapidly than the level of understanding warrants, as illustrated by recent concerns about genetic manipulation. Similarly, in the socio-economic context, overregulated planned economies tend to be short-lived, presumably because their planning was based on an inadequate model. The term "evolution" is applied to processes that operate in untidy and uncharted environments where haste can be disastrous.

Nevertheless, Banathy argues persuasively for the conscious guidance of social evolution, as a means of unifying and strengthening scattered initiatives aimed at improving the human condition. This is mainly to be achieved by education and by the establishment of a thoroughly democratic system of government based on the example of ancient Greece, where citizens were required to engage in discussions of topical issues in the agoras of their cities. (Modern guidebooks usually refer to agoras as market places but they clearly had other functions.)

In the first part of the book the development of ideas on evolution is reviewed, with the contributions of many authors reviewed in some detail, starting with Lamarck and Darwin, and contemporaries of the latter including Thomas Henry Huxley and Alfred Russell Wallace. The suggestion that evolution can be seen continuing as intellectual and social development is attributed initially to Herbert Spencer and the contributions of many others are acknowledged. In recent years the views of Richard Dawkins have been influential, particularly his discussion of memes, corresponding, in cultural evolution, to genes in biology. This is an important idea since memes can account for the emergence of characteristics such as altruism, although the gene is, according to Dawkins' own memorable description, selfish.

Although not noted by Banathy, possible explanations of the emergence of altruism were considered earlier by a number of workers including J.B.S. Haldane. Some references are attached to a note by Andrew (2001). It is interesting that one of the writers reviewed in Banathy's book, namely S. Gould, expresses reservations about the correspondence between biological and cultural evolution. He points out important differences, such as the fact that species that separate in biological evolution do not recombine, whereas separate threads of cultural development may merge.

The development of humans through various stages is also reviewed, up to the agricultural revolution followed by the industrial and now informationa1 revisions. The curious (but long-lived) deviation represented by the Neanderthals is discussed in a fair amount of detail, essentially as also treated by Mithen (1998).

The reservations expressed here about the central argument of the book should not obscure the fact that it is erudite, persuasive and written with great sincerity and concern for the future of humanity. The central message is one of hope that people can get together and agree on concerted action, and it is hardly necessary to observe that the current world situation, for example with regard to greenhouse emissions, deforestation and nuclear weapons, does not give much grounds for such hope. Banathy is clearly aware of the difficulties and argues that it is good to have an idealistic goal even of it is not reached. He also draws comfort from a quotation from Margaret Mead (on his page 355) where she says that: "a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it's the only thing that ever does". Whatever its credibility, there is a great deal here that has a profound bearing on current issues

Alex M. Andrew