The former Soviet Union\u2019s origins and outlook were purportedly science-based. Marxist ideology claimed to be scientific in its version of history. Friedrich Engels in The Dialectics of Nature claimed to show that science and dialectical materialism were allied. Vladimir Lenin in his writings and speeches and in exchanges with visitors from the West emphasized the importance of science and technology to the development of the Soviet Union. As the Soviets established their nation, this outlook was built into their industrial and their educational systems. The school curriculum, standard across the country, laid down substantial syllabi in science at every stage. Nigel Grant in Soviet Education (1964) wrote: \u201cScientific subjects are introduced gradually, until by the eighth year they take up nearly half the week\u2019s teaching time over the whole of the eight- year course, scientific subjects account for thirty-five percent of study time.\u201d Soviet universities also established a considerable base in science. A special town, Akadem-gorodok (Science City), was built near Novosibirsk, providing opportunities and privileges for those following a career in science and their children.<\/p>\n
The Soviet state provided education and opportunities in science. The Soviet population received a good grounding in science, and there was provision for continued adult education throughout life, but there was also a built-in contradiction: The political establishment imposed an ideological straitjacket on what constituted correct and incorrect science. This was seen most clearly in the case of Trofim D. Lysenko, an agricultural geneticist who promoted an essentially Lamarckian theory of plant genetics.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The former Soviet Union\u2019s origins and outlook were purportedly science-based. Marxist ideology claimed to be scientific in its version of history. Friedrich Engels in The Dialectics of Nature claimed to show that science and dialectical materialism were allied. Vladimir Lenin in his writings and speeches and in exchanges with visitors from the West emphasized the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-211359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-s"],"yoast_head":"\n