The Right Darwin: Evolution, Religion & the Future of Democracy

by Carson Holloway

A common assumption that Darwinism & conservatism are mutually inconsistent is fiercely debated on the right. Some conservatives argue that evolutionary biology can replace religion as the source of morality while scientifically confirming conservative public policy. Illuminating this crucial debate, Carson Holloway explains why Darwinian conservatism is both illusory & dangerous. Until recently, the obvious conservative response to Darwinism was hostility because of its atheistic materialism. Prominent scientific writers, particularly those working in the life sciences, have been contemptuous in their dismissal of religion, calling it not only false but harmful. Often the debate has degenerated into name-calling. Such authoritative conservative thinkers as James Q. Wilson & Francis Fukuyama have argued that evolutionary biology confirms the objective reality of human nature--a bedrock conservative principle--as well as religion does. Conservatives, then, need no longer insist on religious belief as a source of public morality. But can society dispense with religion as morality's source? Can Darwinian accounts of human nature lend scientific credibility to conservative moral & political positions? Consulting a great philosopher of democratic conservatism, Alexis de Tocqueville, Holloway asks whether religion is necessary for healthy democracy & probes the possibility of Darwinian alternatives. He concludes Darwinism cannot sustain respect for human rights or provide for family & social stability. Darwinism being a moral failure, religion remains essential for a decent, free democracy.

Review by Will Jerom:
This book is not properly titled, or researched in my opinion. It should be called "Political Theory of Conservative Evolutionists" or "Conservative Right Sociobiology." Darwin is not cited throughout the entire book, nor does Darwin appear in the bibliography. Don't buy this book if you want to understand Darwin. Unfortunately throughout the author carelessly uses "Darwinian" & "Darwinism", when he should use "post-Darwinian" or better "conservative evolutionists." Darwin is not responsible for the political theory of Francis Fukuyama, Larry Arnhart, James Q. Wilson, Roger Masters & Robert McShea. If you want to know about those authors, buy & read this book-- but at least make the further effort to read Darwin's thoughts himself. In any book with Darwin prominently in the title, at least some citation of the original man's works or thought should be made, otherwise the term "Darwinian" or "Darwinism" really is completely hollow in this book--a straw man that represents the above listed five authors (& nothing but those five authors). Instead of choosing Alexander de Tocqueville for his lens of analysis (as Holloway does) he should really have crosschecked to see if these five conservatives generally represented the political, religious & philosophical outlook of Charles Darwin. I think that they do not, & we must remember that Darwin himself never wrote a systematic political treatise nor was a political theorist. Hence, stop using his name in examining the ideas of others!

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Carson L. Holloway teaches political science at the U of Nebraska & was a trustee of Shimer College & a visiting fellow at Princeton's James Madison Program. He's recipient of a John M. Olin Foundation faculty fellowship & of grants from the H.B. Earhart* & Wm E. Simon Foundations. He's a member of the Family Research Council, American Inst for History Education, CatholicVote.org & Board Member of NHE-PAC (home educators) & director of The Assn for the Study of Free Institutions (freestudies.org). He's contributed articles to The National Review, Catholic Social Science Review & The Witherspoon Inst. [*Earhart's provided funding to European organisations promoting right-wing/neoliberal agendas. Regular recipients include the Inst of Economic Affairs think-tank & the Atlanticist Centre for Strategic Studies at the Univ of Reading headed by former Reagan official Colin S. Gray.]