As an article at The Conversation by Professors Ian Godwin and Yuri Trusov observes, "The tragic story of Soviet genetics shows the folly of political meddling in science."
There is much truth in the article, but its authors assume that during the era of Trofim Lysenko the Soviet government persecuted people who "embraced evolution and genetics." On this point, they quote "Australia's Chief Scientist, Alan Finkel, [who] mentioned him [that is, Lysenko] during a speech at a meeting of chief scientists in Canberra."
They continue:
The emerging ideology of Lysenkoism was effectively a jumble of pseudoscience, based predominantly on his rejection of Mendelian genetics and everything else that underpinned [Nikolai] Vavilov's science. He was a product of his time and political situation in the young USSR.
In reality, Lysenko was what we might today call a crackpot. Among other things, he denied the existence of DNA and genes, he claimed that plants selected their mates, and argued that they could acquire characteristics during their lifetime and pass them on. He also espoused the theory that some plants choose to sacrifice themselves for the good of the remaining plants -- another notion that runs against the grain of evolutionary understanding.
In fact, the Soviet government embraced Darwinian evolution (which according to Darwin's own writings contained Lamarckian elements), and persecuted Mendelian genetics, which was considered to be a threat to Darwinism. For more, see the abridged excerpt below from Chapter 16 of my 2006 book The Politically Incorrect Guide to Darwinism and Intelligent Design:
American Lysenkoism
When Mendelian biologists criticized Trofim Lysenko, he simply evaded their arguments and declared that Mendelian genetics was unacceptable because it contradicted Darwinian evolution.1 By then, many Western biologists were accepting the "modern synthesis" of Darwinian evolution and Mendelian genetics, but Soviet Minister of Agriculture Jakov Jakovlev supported Lysenko by declaring Mendelism to be incompatible with true Darwinism. In 1937, Prezent praised Lysenko for "marching under the banner of reconstruction of biological science on the basis of Darwinism raised to the level of Marxism," while he demonized the Mendelians as "powers of darkness."2
If government officials and Darwinist ideologues had not come to Lysenko's rescue, the Mendelians would probably have prevailed -- as they did outside the Soviet Union -- because they had better science on their side. Lysenko's Stalinist suppression of Mendelians in the 1940s made matters much worse, but the underlying problem was that the government-supported scientific establishment had chosen to support one side in a scientific dispute. For many years, biologists in the Soviet Union were persecuted by the government if they challenged the official view of Darwinian orthodoxy or defended Mendelian genetics.3
So, contrary to the claims of [American Darwinists], the scientific conflict underlying Lysenkoism was not Lamarckism against Darwinism, but classical Darwinism (which had undeniably Lamarckian elements) against the new Mendelian genetics. The present conflict between neo-Darwinism and intelligent design resembles Lysenkoism in the sense that the Darwinists are still opposing new ideas.
Darwinists would like us to believe that ID proponents -- like Lysenko -- want to use the government to oppose evolution. But as often happens, Darwinists have things exactly upside-down. Stalin and Lysenko were Darwinists who persecuted Mendelians, just as modern Darwinists persecute IDers (though, thank God, they haven't imprisoned us). In fact, Darwinism is at the root of the persecution in both cases. And like Mendelism, ID is better science than Darwinism.
So the lesson is legitimate: Don't allow the government to use its power to enforce a particular view on a scientific question. If only the government would stay out of the evolution-ID controversy!
Notes:
(1) Nils Roll-Hansen, The Lysenko Effect: The Politics of Science (Amherst, NY: Humanity Books, 2005), 86-89. Valery N. Soyfer, Lysenko and the Tragedy of Soviet Science (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1994), 63. David Joravsky, The Lysenko Affair (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1970), 208, 238-239. Zhores Medvedev, The Rise and Fall of T. D. Lysenko (New York: Columbia University Press, 1969), Chapter 3.
(2) Roll-Hansen, 218-220. Medvedev, 46-49.
(3) Medvedev, Chapter 11. Loren R. Graham, What Have We Learned about Science and Technology from the Russian Experience? (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1998), Chapter 1 and Conclusions. Roll-Hansen, Chapter 10.
Photo: Trofim Lysenko (left) at the Kremlin, with Stalin (far right), via Wikicommons.
Read this article:
- Modern evolutionary synthesis - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: December 11th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 11th, 2016]
- Why Darwinism Is False | Center for Science and Culture [Last Updated On: December 11th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 11th, 2016]
- Difference between Darwinism and Neo-Darwinism | Major ... [Last Updated On: December 15th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 15th, 2016]
- Natural selection - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: December 15th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 15th, 2016]
- Social Darwinism - University of Colorado Boulder [Last Updated On: December 22nd, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 22nd, 2016]
- Social Darwinism - Dr. Hartnell's Nutty the A.D.D. Squirrel [Last Updated On: December 25th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 25th, 2016]
- Darwinism and World War One - creation.com [Last Updated On: January 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: January 20th, 2017]
- Tom Bethell's Rebuke to Fellow Journalists: A Skeptical Look at Evolution Is Not Beyond Your Powers - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Darwin Americanus - lareviewofbooks [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Darwin Americanus - Los Angeles Review of Books - lareviewofbooks [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Biologist Ann Gauger: Apoptosis (Cell Death) Is an Enigma for Darwinism - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Tom Bethell on Mind, Matter, and Self-Defeating Darwinism - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- The Curious Romance of Darwinism and Creationism -- And Why Intelligent Design Must Be Silenced - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- With Darwin Day Approaching, It's Time for a Look Back at Evolution ... - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: February 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 8th, 2017]
- The Lord's Day, Meet Darwin Day and Shudder | The American ... - American Spectator [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- Criticism of Darwinism - MOLWICK [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- With Darwin Day Coming Tomorrow, Here's Tom Bethell on Darwin's ... - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Happy Darwin Day! German Natural History Museum Is Our 2017 Censor of the Year - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- What Darwinists Don't Tell You: Valentine's Day Edition - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- COLUMN: Trump Train driving a new type of Darwinism - Jacksonville Daily News [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- Disregarding Fake News from Darwin Promoters, South Dakota Scientist Applauds Academic Freedom Bill - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: February 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 22nd, 2017]
- Astronomers Use Darwinism To Plot Stellar Family Tree - Forbes - Forbes [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- Doug Axe: Hidden Figures and the Engineering Challenge to Darwinism - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: February 25th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 25th, 2017]
- The Envelope, Please? Doug Axe and Undeniable Are World Magazine 2016 Science Book of the Year! - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: March 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 3rd, 2017]
- HOWS THAT MINIMUM WAGE LAW WORKING?: Increase sets social Darwinism in motion - Aztec Press [Last Updated On: March 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 3rd, 2017]
- "Darwin's Dice" -- Michael Flannery on the Role of Chance in ... - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2017]
- 'Mating' Robots Take a Fast-Forward Leap in Digital Darwinism - Live Science [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2017]
- In China We Can Criticize Darwin, Continued - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: June 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 6th, 2017]
- 'Darwinism doesn't quite cut it,' says Tonko, rallying North Country Democrats - Sun Community News [Last Updated On: June 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 6th, 2017]
- Survival of the fittest: AI perfectly illustrates Darwinism at a business level - Information Age [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2017]
- The First Church of Darwin - Personal Liberty Digest [Last Updated On: June 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 9th, 2017]
- Evolution as Bingo: Darwinists Seek Better Ways to Indoctrinate - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: June 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 11th, 2017]
- The Darwin Project is the Overwatch-Hunger Games crossover you never knew you wanted - GamesRadar [Last Updated On: June 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 12th, 2017]
- For the Public School Biology Teacher, Zombie Science Makes an Outstanding Resource - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2017]
- On Amazon buying Whole Foods: 'The ramifications for all of retail are seismic' - Yahoo Finance [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2017]
- Orphan Black Season 5 Episode 2 Review: Clutch of Greed - Den of Geek US [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2017]
- Darwinism - RationalWiki [Last Updated On: June 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 20th, 2017]
- Social Darwinism - RationalWiki [Last Updated On: June 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 20th, 2017]
- From the Recesses of My Mind - ChicagoNow (blog) [Last Updated On: June 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 22nd, 2017]
- Are aliens more likely by design than black holes? - SYFY WIRE (blog) [Last Updated On: June 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 22nd, 2017]
- Turkey to stop teaching evolution in secondary schools as part of new national curriculum - The Independent [Last Updated On: June 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 23rd, 2017]
- Botany: He made plants a profession - Nature.com [Last Updated On: June 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 24th, 2017]
- Social Darwinism Is What Truly Guides Trump - New York Magazine [Last Updated On: June 26th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 26th, 2017]
- Scott Turner's Purpose and Desire An Important New Voice in the Evolution Debate - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: June 27th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 27th, 2017]
- PETYA Darwinism applied to cyberspace - CSO Online [Last Updated On: June 30th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 30th, 2017]
- UK police to embrace IoT in age of 'Digital Darwinism' - The Internet of Business (blog) [Last Updated On: June 30th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 30th, 2017]
- Darwinism Will Fix the Investment Industry - Bloomberg [Last Updated On: June 30th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 30th, 2017]
- We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: July 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 4th, 2017]
- Woodrow Wilson & Donald Trump's Darwinian vs. Newtonian ... - National Review [Last Updated On: July 5th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 5th, 2017]
- Will Darwinism Kill Feminism? - Heat Street [Last Updated On: July 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 7th, 2017]
- Bluebirds, babies, and orgasms: the women scientists who fought Darwinism's sexist myths - Prospect [Last Updated On: July 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 7th, 2017]
- Pundit Calls Proverbs the "Most Republican Book in the Bible" Because It Preaches "Social Darwinism" - Independent Women's Forum... [Last Updated On: July 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 11th, 2017]
- Biologist Laments, I Want Deeply for [Darwinism] to Make Sense - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: July 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 11th, 2017]
- Here's Why We Can't Just Ignore The Racism In The Dawn Of Evolutionary Theory - The Daily Caller [Last Updated On: July 16th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 16th, 2017]
- Does Darwinism Lead to Infanticide Acceptance? - National Review [Last Updated On: July 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 17th, 2017]
- Biologist J. Scott Turner's Rediscovery How Darwinism Fatally Overlooks What Life Is - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: July 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 20th, 2017]
- EDITORIAL: Republicans can't turn anger into viable health policy - Waco Tribune-Herald [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2017]
- Darwinism: Old politics will perish - The Hans India [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2017]
- Why Aristotle and Aquinas? - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: July 25th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 25th, 2017]
- An RX for Social Darwinism - HuffPost [Last Updated On: July 26th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 26th, 2017]
- Creationism vs. Darwinism - Creation - AllAboutCreation.org [Last Updated On: August 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 2nd, 2017]
- Home Movies/Out on Digital: Aug. 3, 2017 - Shepherd Express [Last Updated On: August 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 2nd, 2017]
- AN Wilson: It's time Charles Darwin was exposed for the fraud he was - Evening Standard [Last Updated On: August 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 4th, 2017]
- Devouring Capitalism - Bloomberg [Last Updated On: August 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 4th, 2017]
- Fintan O'Toole: There will always be a market for misogyny - Irish Times [Last Updated On: August 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 6th, 2017]
- Business times are a changin' - White Bear Press [Last Updated On: August 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 9th, 2017]
- ANALYSIS-Buoyant bitcoin stirs crypto-bubble fears - Nasdaq [Last Updated On: August 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 10th, 2017]
- Liberals Are For ScienceUntil They're Not - Power Line (blog) [Last Updated On: August 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 10th, 2017]
- Social media a double-edged sword, IG cautions students - The Hindu [Last Updated On: August 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 14th, 2017]
- Prohibition of dagga was racist - historian | News24 - News24 [Last Updated On: August 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 14th, 2017]
- Social Darwinism - American Museum of Natural History [Last Updated On: August 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 14th, 2017]
- Prohibition of dagga was racist historian - DestinyConnect [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2017]
- The alt-right loves Nietzsche, but Nietzsche would not love them - Boing Boing [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2017]
- Curricula on Intelligent Design Are Urgently Needed And Here They Are! - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2017]
- The birth of Geotrumpism - Guardian (blog) [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2017]
- How can I keep my employees from jumping ship? - New York Post [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2017]
- Curricula on Intelligent Design Are Urgently Needed -- And Here ... - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: August 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 21st, 2017]
- American lit, conservative thought and Trump - St. Augustine Record [Last Updated On: August 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 22nd, 2017]
- Digital transformation: It's not a destination - Econsultancy (blog) [Last Updated On: August 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 22nd, 2017]
- Will Hate Trigger A Religious Revival Via Social Media? - MediaPost Communications [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2017]