Ignoring Science: How Lysenkoism Starved Millions

The consequences of rejecting science: How Lysenkoism led to the deaths of millions in the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union's rejection of Mendelian genetics in favor of Lysenkoism, a pseudoscientific agricultural theory, resulted in devastating famines and the deaths of over 60 million people. Lysenko's ideas, promoted as aligned with communist ideology, led to agricultural mismanagement and widespread crop failures. "They considered genetics to be a bourgeois capitalist concept," explains Eric, the video creator, highlighting the ideological basis for this disastrous decision. The video showcases the tragic consequences of prioritizing political dogma over scientific evidence, underscoring the importance of evidence-based decision-making in crucial areas like agriculture. The famine's impact was far-reaching, causing immense suffering and lasting damage to the Soviet economy and population. This historical event serves as a cautionary tale of the dangers of ignoring scientific expertise and the importance of evidence-based policies in governing.