Our society can succeed only by contending with human nature — not simply fighting it

Our society can succeed only by contending with human nature — not simply fighting it

Politics is the art of working out how to change society without having to change what can’t be changed in human nature. This is the main message of an intriguing new book by the veteran science writer Nicholas Wade, “The Origin of Politics: How Evolution and Ideology Shape the Fate of Nations.” He explores how political success comes from working with the grain of human nature more than against it. “When ideologies drive politics, without regar…