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Hive Mind: How Your Nation's IQ Matters So Much More Than Your Own
Hive Mind: How Your Nation's IQ Matters So Much More Than Your Own
Hive Mind: How Your Nation's IQ Matters So Much More Than Your Own
In Hive Mind, Garett Jones sets out to explain why higher cognitive ability scores
(which he argues in Chapter 1 reflects real underlying differences in skills) are so
much more important for collectivities than for individuals.
Jones doesn’t really tell where differences in cognitive abilities come from. His story
is mostly about why they matter. They matter because higher because (p. 13):
1) High scoring groups cooperate more effectively, which is the key to making
collective action more productive in all kinds of enterprises, both by increasing
throughput and by building capacity. (Chapter 5)
2) High scoring groups work together better in teams, which is critical to the
performance of weakest-link, precision activities – the kinds of activities that are
characteristic of complex value chains. (Chapter 7)
3) High scoring groups are more patient and forward looking. They save more and
they invest more, not just in plant and equipment, but also in organizational
learning and technology. (Chapter 4)
4) High scoring groups make better citizens and sustain more effective polities.
(Chapter 6)
5) Cooperative, patient, well-informed groups encourage their members to engage
in cooperative, patient, information seeking behavior. (Chapter 8)
At the same time, he insists that average cognitive ability scores are increasing and
that they can be improved (Chapter 3). The reason he cannot tell us how best to do
so is that there are far more plausible explanations for increases in cognitive ability
than there are observations with which to test them. Consequently, his strongest
conclusions have to do with the provision of basic public health and nutrition. He’s
moderately hopeful for education as well, but only where students are physically
present, have access to books, and teachers teach. As he notes, years of formal
schooling is only weakly associated with cognitive abilities, whereas the association
between measured learning and cognitive ability is quite strong. Of course, the
causal arrow could go either way, but Jones plausibly suggests that, over the long
term and on average, educational effort drives cognitive development.
On balance this is a notable text – perhaps, 2016’s most important economics book,
both for the development specialist and the general reader.
Garett Jones is Associate Professor of Economics at the Center
for Study of Public Choice, George Mason University.
As for its weaknesses, there are arguably three, none particularly damning.
Chapter 8 emphasizes monkey see monkey do, reminding us that we humans are
eager and able to copy the practices of prestigious others, to the benefit of all.
However, if Jones appreciates the degree to which social segregation can short-
circuit this mechanism, I missed it. This is a potentially serious omission, since it
suggests a important pathway to enhancing the mechanism’s efficacy.
Second, Jones writes beautifully. For the most part this book is a model of clarity and
accessibility. Regrettably his explanation of why both low skilled and high skilled
workers are paid better and are also more productive in rich nations than in poor
ones is especially murky (Chapter 9). As an economist, even if not a very good one, I
think I understand what Jones is saying, others might not.
Overall, this is a very good book, it would be better if it were about 100 pages
longer.
Song, J., Price, D.J., Guvenen, F., Bloom, N. and von Wachter, T., 2015. Firming up
inequality (No. w21199). National Bureau of Economic Research.
Bender, S., Bloom, N., Card, D., Van Reenen, J. and Wolter, S., 2016. Management
Practices, Workforce Selection and Productivity (No. w22101). National Bureau of
Economic Research.