Birth Order and Political Behavior

This book provides a careful examination of the possible influence of birth order on political achievement and behavior. The authors look at American presidents, Supreme Court justices, United States senators and representatives, and the careers of an entire West Point class. For a comparative dimension, they also study British Prime Ministers, U.N. Secretaries General, post-Renaissance popes, leaders of the U.S.S.R., and great generals through the ages. What the authors find is that there is no measurable relationship between birth order (and being first born) and political achievement and behavior. These findings cast considerable doubt on the long standing belief that birth order has an important impact on either achievement or behavior. The authors clarify that very few studies suggesting such a relationship do not stand up under careful scrutiny. This basic conclusion and other curious findings from the study make Birth Order And Political Behavior insightful reading for almost any behavioral scientist. The book will also be relevant to courses in child development, clinical psychology, psychiatry, political science, anthropology, and sociology.