nature offers a solution to our flawed electoral system · an impressive exploration of animal...

NatureoffersasolutiontoourflawedelectoralsystemHoneybeesmakedecisionscollectively--anddemocratically.Everyyear,facedwiththelife-or-deathproblemofchoosingandtravelingtoanewhome,honeybeesstakeeverythingonaprocessthatincludescollectivefact-finding,vigorousdebate,andconsensusbuilding.Infact,asworld-renownedanimalbehavioristThomasSeeleyreveals,theseincredibleinsectshavemuchtoteachuswhenitcomestocollectivewisdomandeffectivedecisionmaking.Aremarkableandrichlyillustratedaccountofscientificdiscovery,HoneybeeDemocracybringstogether,forthefirsttime,decadesofSeeley'spioneeringresearchtotelltheamazingstoryofhousehuntinganddemocraticdebateamongthehoneybees.

Inthelatespringandearlysummer,asabeecolonybecomesovercrowded,athirdofthehivestaysbehindandrearsanewqueen,whileaswarmofthousandsdepartswiththeoldqueentoproduceadaughtercolony.Seeleydescribeshowthesebeesevaluatepotentialnestsites,advertisetheirdiscoveriestooneanother,engageinopendeliberation,chooseafinalsite,andnavigatetogether--asaswirlingcloudofbees--totheirnewhome.Seeleyinvestigateshowevolutionhashonedthedecision-makingmethodsofhoneybeesovermillionsofyears,andheconsiderssimilaritiesbetweenthewaysthatbeeswarmsandprimatebrainsprocessinformation.Heconcludesthatwhatworkswellforbeescanalsoworkwellforpeople:anydecision-makinggroupshouldconsistofindividualswithsharedinterestsandmutualrespect,aleader'sinfluenceshouldbeminimized,debateshouldbereliedupon,diversesolutionsshouldbesought,andthemajorityshouldbecountedonforadependableresolution.

Animpressiveexplorationofanimalbehavior,HoneybeeDemocracyshowsthatdecision-makinggroups,whetherhoneybeeorhuman,canbesmarterthaneventhesmartestindividualsinthem.

ThomasD.SeeleyisprofessorofbiologyatCornellUniversityandapassionatebeekeeper.HeistheauthorofTheWisdomoftheHiveandHoneybeeEcology(Princeton).

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