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Jan 17, 2006

"The only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation." --Bertrand Russell

Cooperation

Is cooperation human nature? Political science professor Robert Axelford explored this idea and found that the relationship between competitors that are placed in a recurring long-term competitive environment nearly always evolves into cooperation. In one famous example he cites from the trench warfare of World War I, troops of one side would shell the other side with mortars, but would often do so on a rigid schedule, and aim for a specific point in the other side's trenches, allowing the other side to minimize casualties. The other side would reciprocate in kind. The generals on both sides were satisfied that shelling was occurring and therefore the war was progressing satisfactorily, while the men in the trenches found a way to cooperatively protect each other.