, but rather they would cooperate with each other in a near-sentient fashion — like humans.
Applying the Marxist principle of materialism, in which the conditions surrounding an individual dictate its behaviors and responses, Lysenko believed that plants and animals, too, could be reshaped as needed.
In 1927, Lysenko’s theories appeared to be proven when a crop of peas he’d planted in the winter before burst forth into green life. He thought this proved that he had taught the peas to grow even in their off-season simply by exposing them to the cold.
Stalin backed him, Lysenkoism became officially approved Marxist-Leninist biology, opponents were jailed or sent to the gulags – and millions starved to death.
It's the classic case of ideology trumping science – cited, often enough, as proof of the idiocy of Soviet Communism under Stalin, and the willingness of regime apparatchiks to go along with the latest approved fad for the sake of their careers.
Well….]
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