It’s tempting to think chimpanzees would make good politicians. Consider the attributes of the ideal politician: fairness, selflessness, co-operative ability and strategising skills. Do chimps have these?
They certainly have an expectation of fairness when it comes to themselves, throwing temper tantrums if given a lesser food than a companion. But their societies are far from equal, headed by a despotic alpha male who has best access to food and females.
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Studies also imply that chimpanzees are ‘rational maximisers’ that don’t consider fairness when deciding on reward distribution, choosing self-interest over equality.
What about co-operation and strategy? In some studies, chimps were ‘strategic maximisers’, co-operating when it benefitted them but choosing a non-social option otherwise. Though chimps in small groups have shown themselves able to co-ordinate to achieve joint benefits, whether this is comparable to the spontaneous, rapid, large-scale co- operation seen in our species is up for debate. We’re perhaps better off with the politicians we have.
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Top image: "Banksy's's painting 'Dystopian - View of The House of Commons' pokes fun at the houses of Parliament, but what kind of politicians would chimps actually make? (Getty Images)
