So let’s run a little thought experiment using our fabulous
‘laboratory of the states.’ Let’s pick a couple small states—say New Hampshire
and Vermont, cute little side-by-side New England states. Let’s say New Hampshire
decided to try to become a high-IQ state. First off, they’d give everybody IQ
tests. Then they would encourage (i.e., financially incentivize) high-IQ people
to reproduce and discourage (financially disincentivize) low-IQ people from
reproducing—not providing further welfare benefits for out-of-wedlock children,
providing free hysterectomies, abortions, vasectomies, etc. Similarly, they
would encourage high-IQ in-migration and low-IQ out-migration.
Then, just for the sake of argument, let’s say that left-wing,
Vermont went in the opposite direction. They would also give everybody IQ tests
but would use them to encourage low-IQ reproduction and discourage high-IQ
reproduction. Similarly, they would encourage low-IQ in-migration and high-IQ
out-migration. (No rational government would ever do this, of course, for
obvious reasons.)
What would these two states look like after a couple
generations? New Hampshire would be a civilized, prosperous first-world state,
well-versed in the science and technology of the modern world, with great
public schools and a low-to-nonexistent crime rate. Vermont, meantime, would have become an impoverished, corrupt,
crime-ridden third-world hellhole.
Do you doubt it?
