The dangers of IQ

By the title alone you know that IQ and the Wealth of Nations is going to be a controversial book. The book was recently reviewed, largely negatively but on scientific grounds without any charges of racism, in the Journal of Economic Literature (subs. required). What I didn’t know was that one of the authors, Professor Tatu Vanhanen, is the father of Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen. The professor’s words, therefore, have become a lightning rod for opponents of Matti Vahanen. So much so that the Finnish police considered whether to launch a criminal investigation of Professor Vanhanen for his comments on IQ, race, and the wealth of nations in a magazine interview. In the end, the police concluded that the Professor did not incite “racial hatred,” nevertheless I find the episode rather chilling.

Addendum: Here are some brave economists on this issue. Thanks to Gene Expression and Randall Parker for the pointer.

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