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Sociobiology: The New Synthesis. Edward O. WilsonBiological Bases of Human Social Behavior. R. A. HindeEthology: The Biology of Behavior. Irenäus Eibl‐Eibesfeldt

The ideas of Francois Duvalier & the group of thinkers with whom he has associated on the connection between biology & pol, ie, the biological factors which may influence the soc psychol of politicians, are examined in the context of Haitian history. A connection is drawn between Duvalier's thought & the earlier racial theories of Arthur de Gobineau. Francois Duvalier (1907-71) was proclaimed president for life in 1964 in Haiti, & was later given power to nominate his successor. His son has now followed him as president for life. Duvalier insisted that there is a fundamental diff between the psychol of black people & the psychol of whites, & that this diff has its roots in biology. He saw the voodoo cult as both reflecting & perpetuating the spiritual life of the masses & testifying to a basic unity among the black people of the world. He also held that there are a number of psychol'al characteristics which are peculiar to the races; eg, the black races are distinguished by the importance which they attach to the senses, & by their practice of understanding by association with, rather than by detachment from, the external world, These ideas are traced back to Gobineau (1816-1882), a Frenchman, who for many yrs worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, & is considered the 'father of racist ideology.' Gobineau maintained that these peculiar psychol'al characteristics of the diff races have soc consequences & that the form of gov suitable for one racial group is unlikely to be appropriate for other groups. Duvalier took over this contention & felt that a politician must understand those psychol'al & biological factors which are important in determining the culture of the people they have to deal with. As diff's in econ class are held to be `objective,' so Duvalier held that racial diff's, too, are objective. M. Maxfield.