So the people of Finland have different genetics from the English?
The article also states that he is against extending pre-school education, which has to be shown to be highly effective again and again.
But those studies were done in the US, so genetics probably works different for them too.
It is important to realize that there is a heavy strain of racial superiority thinking in the English upper class. As far as I know, there is nothing similar anywhere in Europe today.
> So the people of Finland have different genetics from the English?
Yes, of course. I'm not saying that this explains the difference in educational outcomes but Finns, Basques, Sardinians and another group I always forget are descendants of the original (or at least earlier) Europeans. They are genetically different from waves of peoples who entered and conquered Europe later (Slavs, Germanic tribes, etc) which in turn differ from each other.
Funnily enough, last week a comparative test of educational outcomes was discussed in the press showing that today there still exists a clear difference between outcomes in (former) East Germany and (former) West Germany. East German Children were better at mathematics and natural sciences.
So with identical genetics there is still an effect on the scale of typical European inter-country differences.
"there is a heavy strain of racial superiority thinking in the English upper class"
One of the most unpleasant aspects of British politics is the disproportionate influence of this group on political discourse and policy-making, particularly in the Conservative party.
Exactly. Notice how his proposed solution makes the kind of education children can get dependent not on their genetics, but on whether their parents have enough money to send them to private schools.
>It is important to realize that there is a heavy strain of racial superiority thinking in the English upper class. As far as I know, there is nothing similar anywhere in Europe today.
If we put weight on genetics, English style slow social mobility class system would be the worst kind.
Some biologists have theorized that rigid class system has kept the genetic differences between classes minimal. Lowest peasants have same amount of genetic advantages and disadvantages as upper class because there was minimal mixing between them. In the modern times when class structure collapses and social mobility increases it will be different. Successful and beautiful people move to big cities where they meet each others and mate (Finland and Nordic countries have high social mobility). New upper class will form that self selects it's members based on personal traits and performance. This would mean that new upper class will be more beautiful, fit and intelligent and genetic disadvantages will concentrate on lower classes. In other words, if genetics is important, giving equal opportunity to all children and high social mobility will create upper class with better genetics.
The article also states that he is against extending pre-school education, which has to be shown to be highly effective again and again.
But those studies were done in the US, so genetics probably works different for them too.
It is important to realize that there is a heavy strain of racial superiority thinking in the English upper class. As far as I know, there is nothing similar anywhere in Europe today.