The Biology of Government: A Primer for Politicians

1

The Role

Question: What is the role of government?

Answer: To look to the well-being of the people and to maintain and improve the quality of the environment.

Government is animal husbandry and ecosystem management.

Government is applied biology.

2

The Dream

Let’s dream.

A country.

A government composed of individuals who see their job as managing a complex society in a complex environment for the well-being of the people and their descendants.

A government composed of individuals who are not prepared to compromise good management for short-term electoral gain and/or to selectively benefit themselves, their supporters, friends or family – that is, a government that is not corrupt.

A government composed of individuals who make decisions based on a rational, evidence-based and, when appropriate, scientific assessment of each situation that comes before it – that is, it does not allow ideology to prescribe its decisions.

3

The Dream Continued

Let us continue the dream.

A country.

An ethical government with a mission statement:

Look to the well-being of the people.

But how?

Looking to the well-being of the people means providing an environment that satisfies the needs of the people.

Therefore, the first step to good government is knowing the needs of the people.

The second step is creating and maintaining an environment that provides these needs.

4

Step 1

If the first step of good government is knowing the needs of the people, we need to ask what these needs are.

They will be considered in two categories: those required for the well-being of the body and those required for the well-being of the mind.

Strictly, such a division should not be made, since the well-being of the body is not independent of the well-being of the mind, and vice versa. For instance, the mind can influence the biochemistry of the body.

Nevertheless, considering the tangible needs of the physical body separately from the less tangible needs of the mind has value.

It should be noted that not every individual has exactly the same needs, since some needs can vary depending on age, sex and genetic make-up (which is sometimes associated with ethnic origin).

5

The Body

The body needs an environment that provides:

• Food.

• Water.

• Protection from the elements (clothing, shelter, heat source).

• An atmosphere with an oxygen content of approximately 21 per cent, in which the carbon dioxide level is between 280 and 330 parts per million (for optimum climate) and that is largely free of toxic gases and injurious airborne pollutants.

• An atmosphere that has a pressure at sea level of approximately one kilogram per square centimetre (14.7 pounds per square inch).

• A stratosphere with sufficient ozone to absorb most of the incoming ultraviolet light.

• A suitable temperature.

• A suitable gravity pull.

• Light (to develop and maintain eye function). For children, strong light (outdoors) for two to three hours a day to prevent myopia.

• Distant views (may be necessary for the development of all-round vision in children).

• A day–night sequence based on a 24-hour cycle (to maintain biorhythms).

• Sunlight with ultraviolet light (for vitamin D production by skin cells to promote calcium uptake, thereby preventing rickets in children and weak bones in older people, and to reduce the chances of developing multiple sclerosis, diabetes and some types of cancer that can occur if insufficient vitamin D is present in the diet).

• A certain amount of dirt (necessary for a strong and properly developed immune system) and, for children, to make them more resistant to allergies.

• Opportunities for exercise.

• Conditions that do not promote disease (e.g. living conditions should not be unsanitary and crowded, drinking water should be free of faecal contamination and efforts should be made to reduce the numbers of insects that transmit disease).

• No exposure, or only low-level exposure, to drugs and injurious chemicals (man made or natural), heavy metals, radioactive materials, asbestos fibres and high levels of noise for extended periods.

• Access to quality medical care that all can afford.

• Conditions that satisfy the needs of the mind (see next chapter).

6

The Mind

What are the requirements of the mind?

The needs of the mind are more difficult to define than those of the body. However, it would appear that the following things are important for most people:

• Interaction and communication with other people.

• Belonging to a true community, which can provide companionship, support and security, particularly for older people.

• Someone to love and care for.

Someone to be loved by, and cared for by.

Someone to have sex and orgasms with.¹

• Having children, which can give joy, purpose and meaning to life.

• Having time to spend with one’s children.

• Being valued and considered an individual of worth by one’s fellow human beings.

• Having a job, feeling useful.

• Having time to help others and/or to support community causes, which typically generates a strong sense of well-being and happiness in the giver.

• An environment in which fun and laughter are frequent occurrences.

• Physical exercise.

• Mental activities.

• A diverse sensory environment, providing abundant opportunities for sight, sound, touch, smell and taste experiences.

• Adequate time for sleeping, preferably during the night.

• Some association with the natural world (even if just gardening or keeping a pet animal).

• If life is mostly hectic, time to slow down and relax and to participate in play and leisure activities.

• The freedom to choose to belong to a religion or not to belong to a religion.

• An environment that provides universal education and diverse job opportunities, so that most people can find a job suited to their nature and abilities and which gives satisfaction.

• An equal society, so that a sense of injustice is not engendered in some individuals.

• Occasional periods of stress, pressure and hardship, which may be beneficial, even necessary, by providing diversity to the experience of life and by imparting wisdom, maturity and a self-confidence to manage the hard times (physical and mental) in life should they arise unexpectedly.

• For children, love and affection from parents and other adults who set