Another Example of Mutual Aid

So much for Ayn Rand's selfish individualism. Or the nutbars that believe capitalism is natural, and ordained by G*D.

Studies Show Chimps to Be Collaborative and Altruistic

In the wild, chimpanzees have been known to hunt together, particularly when conditions dictate that a solo hunter will not be successful. Yet this does not prove that our nearest living relatives understand cooperation the same way that we do: such group hunts may simply be the product of independent and simultaneous actions by many individuals with little comprehension of the need for coordinated action to ensure success. A new study, however, shows for the first time that chimpanzees understand when cooperation is needed and how to go about securing it effectively. And another study shows they might even be willing to cooperate without hope of reward


Altruism 'in-built' in humans

Infants as young as 18 months show altruistic behaviour, suggesting humans have a natural tendency to be helpful, German researchers have discovered.

"The results were astonishing because these children are so young – they still wear diapers and are barely able to use language," said psychology researcher Felix Warneken of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, "But they already show helping behaviour."

Which provides further proof of Kropotkins theory of Mutual Aid: Symbiotic Evolution, i.e., evolution through the establishment of cooperative [rather than competitive] relationships among organisms.

Moreover, it is evident that life in societies would be utterly impossible without a corresponding development of social feelings, and, especially, of a certain collective sense of justice growing to become a habit. If every individual were constantly abusing its personal advantages without the others interfering in favour of the wronged, no society -- life would be possible. And feelings of justice develop, more or less, with all gregarious animals...Compassion is a necessary outcome of social life. But compassion also means a considerable advance in general intelligence and sensibility. It is the first step towards the development of higher moral sentiments. It is, in its turn, a powerful factor of further evolution. Peter Kroptkin, Mutual Aid

XXXIII. Cooperation a Natural Law

When Kropotkin observed mutual aid among animals, he was not inventing anything; he was discovering what existed. When Sumner studied and described folk ways, he was dealing with ancient facts.

Within this fluid mass of human society, the natural laws which govern its conduct are poorly understood. But out of the laboratory of trial and error in human affairs a few of the laws of society are emerging. Here are some of these laws which I make bold to formulate:--

1. Man best succeeds in getting what he wants when he has the assistance of other men whom he in turn helps to get what they want.

2. Man best protects himself against forces that would do him harm when he has the assistance of other men who likewise need similar protection and whom he helps as they help him.

3. Where production in abundance for all is possible, prosperity and happiness of the largest number of people are best promoted when the economic ideal is equality of opportunity and of access to things, rather than when a few have the better access and when they acquire the most, while others are in want.

These are social laws and they are specifically the laws of cooperation. They constitute the fundamentals of the consumer cooperative movement in action. They pertain especially to the direct getting of things and services needed for life rather than getting money.

See: Mutual Aid


Find blog posts, photos, events and more off-site about:
mutual, aid,, children,, apes,, chimpanzees,, evolution,, Kroptkin,, science,, psychology, alturism