Social stratification alters gene frequencies

Social sorting by socio‑economic status concentrates people with certain heritable traits into different environments, which can change mortality, fertility and mating patterns and therefore shift the genetic composition of populations over time. The article reviews genome‑wide evidence (regional polygenic scores, changing heritability of education, genetic correlations with disease spread) showing these processes are detectable and meaningful. — If social organization drives measurable genetic change, then inequality policies and demographic shifts have intergenerational biological as well as social consequences, raising ethical, policy and research questions.