Social Stratification Drives Genetic Change

Societies that sort people into persistent socioeconomic strata create nonrandom mating, mortality and reproductive environments that alter the distribution of alleles linked to traits relevant for status. Genomic data (GWAS, polygenic scores, regional aggregates) can detect these socio‑genetic feedbacks, but interpreting them requires separating causal social effects from inherited trait correlations. — If true, social policy (education, health, housing, family support) doesn’t only reduce inequality now — it also changes the evolutionary and genetic composition of future generations, reframing debates about fairness, intervention and scientific responsibility.