The first edition of Frans de Waal’s Chimpanzee Politics was acclaimed not only by primatologists for its scientific achievement but also by politicians, business leaders, and social psychologists for its remarkable insights into the most basic human needs and behaviors. Twenty-five years later, this book is considered a classic. Featuring a new preface that includes recent insights from the author, this anniversary edition is a detailed and thoroughly engrossing account of rivalries and coalitions — actions governed by intelligence rather than instinct. As we watch the chimpanzees of Arnhem behave in ways we recognize from Machiavelli (and from the nightly news), de Waal reminds us again that the roots of pol… More >>
Chimpanzee Politics: Power and Sex among Apes
The premise of this book is that it is possible to gain an understanding of human behavior by understanding the behavior of chimpanzee’s since human beings are really just “naked apes”. Trash. The hypothesis is that humans share 98% of the same genes as apes and are therefore almost the same. Statistical madness. Humans share 50% of their genes with a microbe and 80% with a poodle. There are billions of genes, the vast majority of which are redundant and the so-called only 2% difference between apes and humans amounts to millions of genetic differences. This book is a good study of ape behavior but the assertions that ape behavior can be projected onto correctly understanding human behavior is ridiculous but makes for good reading in this publish or perish world.
Rating: 4 / 5
De Waal investigates chimpanzee behavior in a zoo, which is at odds with chimpanzee behavior in the wild. The main difference is that the female chimps live together instead of foraging alone, which leads them to participate more in politics than usual. The book is about coalitions, how they’re formed, and between whom. The longest part details how leadership changed from chimp to chimp to chimp. There is quite a bit about chimpanzee sex, especially how male chimps thrusts their hips forward and bounce their penises up and down to attract women. There is a nude shot of a chimpanzee penis, but you have to be told what it is. There is a lesbian monkey, and an ape rape, and they go together. A big arrow would have been helpful. The very best part is the postscript which depicts something that is treated fully in another book (de Waal is a salesman as well as a biologist); one of the chimps is murdered when the other chimps bite off his balls. It has some good pictures, it’s kind of fun, but I wouldn’t buy it.
Rating: 3 / 5
Sex is about power, power is about sex. Not a surprising theory when you consider what most politicians get up to. A thorough book that even covered the ‘you scratch my back’ theory.
Rating: 4 / 5
This is the best book I have ever read. It gives you an idea of what ape’s lives are like.
Rating: 5 / 5
I read this book after reading a magazine article about an interview with Newt Gingrich. Newt cited this book as one of the most influential in forming his political style. He learned from this book that if you make enough noise, you can overthrow the ruler of the tribe. He’s been trying to get rid of Clinton with lots of noisy accusations. With the press’ help, he’s succeeded in weaking Clinton – at least within the beltway. Here’s hoping the electorate will throw out the Republicans and get rid of Newt.
Despite Newt’s endorsement & diabolical use of this strategy, it’s a very well written & instructive book, which I would highly recommend.
Rating: 5 / 5