SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
The Trump administration's order is "reminiscent of the censorship exerted by political officers in the old Soviet Union," said Alan Finkel. (Photos: Getty; Wikimedia Commons/cc)
Comparing Trump to Stalin, Australia's Chief Scientist Warns Against Censorship
"Science is literally under attack," Australia's chief scientist Alan Finkel says of Trump administration's vetting of EPA research
Feb 06, 2017
American scientists are facing censorship on par with that imposed in the USSR under Josef Stalin, Australia's chief scientist Alan Finkel said during a scientific roundtable in Canberra, Australia, on Monday.
"Science is literally under attack," Finkel warned, describing the Trump administration's crackdown on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data, which requires political appointees to review scientific research before it is published. Congressional Republicans have also set their sights on gutting the regulatory agency.
"It defies logic. It certainly does longterm harm," Finkel said, and compared the administration's policy to the USSR under Stalin:
It's reminiscent of the censorship exerted by political officers in the old Soviet Union. Every military commander there had a political officer second-guessing his decisions.
Soviet agricultural science was held back for decades because of the ideology of Trofim Lysenko, who was a proponent of Lamarckism. Stalin loved Lysenko's conflation of science and Soviet philosophy, and used his limitless power to ensure that Lysenko's unscientific ideas prevailed.
Lysenko believed that successive generations of crops could be improved by exposing them to the right environment, and so too could successive generations of Soviet citizens be improved by exposing them to the right ideology.
So while Western scientists embraced evolution and genetics, Russian scientists who thought the same were sent to the gulag. Western crops flourished. Russian crops failed.
"Today, the catch-cry of scientists must be frank and fearless advice," Finkel said, "no matter the opinion of political commissars stationed at the U.S. EPA."
Finkel went on to argue that sound science must inform government policy, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, and said he was proud to be chief scientist in a country where no politician had ever told him what he could and couldn't say.
Trump's actions in his first two weeks in office--not to mention his usual rhetoric--have also provoked comparisons with other infamous dictators, such as Adolf Hitler and Kim Jung-un.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
American scientists are facing censorship on par with that imposed in the USSR under Josef Stalin, Australia's chief scientist Alan Finkel said during a scientific roundtable in Canberra, Australia, on Monday.
"Science is literally under attack," Finkel warned, describing the Trump administration's crackdown on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data, which requires political appointees to review scientific research before it is published. Congressional Republicans have also set their sights on gutting the regulatory agency.
"It defies logic. It certainly does longterm harm," Finkel said, and compared the administration's policy to the USSR under Stalin:
It's reminiscent of the censorship exerted by political officers in the old Soviet Union. Every military commander there had a political officer second-guessing his decisions.
Soviet agricultural science was held back for decades because of the ideology of Trofim Lysenko, who was a proponent of Lamarckism. Stalin loved Lysenko's conflation of science and Soviet philosophy, and used his limitless power to ensure that Lysenko's unscientific ideas prevailed.
Lysenko believed that successive generations of crops could be improved by exposing them to the right environment, and so too could successive generations of Soviet citizens be improved by exposing them to the right ideology.
So while Western scientists embraced evolution and genetics, Russian scientists who thought the same were sent to the gulag. Western crops flourished. Russian crops failed.
"Today, the catch-cry of scientists must be frank and fearless advice," Finkel said, "no matter the opinion of political commissars stationed at the U.S. EPA."
Finkel went on to argue that sound science must inform government policy, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, and said he was proud to be chief scientist in a country where no politician had ever told him what he could and couldn't say.
Trump's actions in his first two weeks in office--not to mention his usual rhetoric--have also provoked comparisons with other infamous dictators, such as Adolf Hitler and Kim Jung-un.
From Your Site Articles
American scientists are facing censorship on par with that imposed in the USSR under Josef Stalin, Australia's chief scientist Alan Finkel said during a scientific roundtable in Canberra, Australia, on Monday.
"Science is literally under attack," Finkel warned, describing the Trump administration's crackdown on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data, which requires political appointees to review scientific research before it is published. Congressional Republicans have also set their sights on gutting the regulatory agency.
"It defies logic. It certainly does longterm harm," Finkel said, and compared the administration's policy to the USSR under Stalin:
It's reminiscent of the censorship exerted by political officers in the old Soviet Union. Every military commander there had a political officer second-guessing his decisions.
Soviet agricultural science was held back for decades because of the ideology of Trofim Lysenko, who was a proponent of Lamarckism. Stalin loved Lysenko's conflation of science and Soviet philosophy, and used his limitless power to ensure that Lysenko's unscientific ideas prevailed.
Lysenko believed that successive generations of crops could be improved by exposing them to the right environment, and so too could successive generations of Soviet citizens be improved by exposing them to the right ideology.
So while Western scientists embraced evolution and genetics, Russian scientists who thought the same were sent to the gulag. Western crops flourished. Russian crops failed.
"Today, the catch-cry of scientists must be frank and fearless advice," Finkel said, "no matter the opinion of political commissars stationed at the U.S. EPA."
Finkel went on to argue that sound science must inform government policy, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, and said he was proud to be chief scientist in a country where no politician had ever told him what he could and couldn't say.
Trump's actions in his first two weeks in office--not to mention his usual rhetoric--have also provoked comparisons with other infamous dictators, such as Adolf Hitler and Kim Jung-un.
From Your Site Articles
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.