Genetic Correlates of Social Stratification in Great Britain (Inequality now extends to people's DNA)

[rufuspollock]

In GitLab by @rufuspollock on Nov 19, 2019, 08:37

Very interesting paper. Still not entirely clear on the conclusions esp those in the more journalistically titled Conversation piece ("Inequality now Extends to People's DNA).

Inequality_now_extends_to_people_s_DNA.pdf

Genetic_correlates_of_social_stratification_in_Great_Britain.pdf

I am still trying to sort through some of things in my own mind. For example, the relation of correlation and causation (which can sometimes be assumed - though in the Nature piece they caution against this).

For example, many, many societies throughout history have engaged in systematized, institutionalized patriarchy in which socio-economic opportunities for women were severely restricted. Now there are also clear physical (and genetic) differences between men and women so if you were to do a simple correlation of e.g. EA on phenotypic differences in a pre-modern patriarchal society you would find that these genetic differences "explained" a huge amount of the socioeconomic differences. However, in reality, small differences in physical strength have been translated into a socio-cultural equilibrium in which women were systematically limited in their opportunities.