Why brightest pupils grow up to be Right-wingers

IT may disappoint Left-leaning parents, but bright children grow up to be more economically Right-wing.

New research analysed two British studies comparing people’s intelligence with political views over a 20-year period.

The author found that as the children aged, their views became more fiscally conservative.

The study, co-authored by Professor Timothy Bates of Edinburgh University, said: ‘Higher levels of childhood (aged ten to 11years-old) intelligence were related to higher levels of economic conservatism in adulthood. The effect is consistent with predictions from a self-interest model, linking intelligence and education to higher attained social class or income, in turn leading to support for economic policies that allow individuals freedom to accumulate wealth.’

The findings may explain the rise of a new generation of billionaires such as Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos – socially liberal, but freemarketeers. The study was based on interviews with 14,200 primary school pupils across Britain, whose views were canvassed again when they were in their early 30s.

Childhood intelligence was assessed on verbal, mathematical and reasoning ability. As adults they were asked about their job, education and economic views.

The authors found that ‘childhood intelligence was a positive predictor of economic conservatism’. Writing in the journal Intelligence, they added: ‘Higher intelligence may lead individuals to prefer conservative economics based on greater awareness or cognitive processing of, for instance, arguments about competition and property rights raising global prosperity.’

Co-author of the study Dr Gary Lewis of the University of London said: ‘Higher intelligence underpins more socially Left-wing attitudes, for example lower levels of prejudice and authoritarianism, but leads people towards to more economically Right-wing positions. One possibility is self-interest; that higher intelligence gives rise to greater life success, for example a better job, and so support for Right-wing economic policies arises because such individuals would have more to lose with higher levels of tax.’