Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy SOLVED! #20 - America’s Brain Drain: How Scientific Empires Fall
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Aug 29, 2025 The podcast dives into the fall of scientific empires, illustrating how oppressive political regimes can stifle innovation. Historical parallels reveal how past fascist regimes hindered scientific progress, leaving countries vulnerable to brain drain. Current trends highlight the exodus of American scientists seeking better opportunities abroad. Anti-intellectualism poses a serious threat to evidence-based science in society. The discussion ultimately calls for global collaboration and unity to tackle future scientific challenges.
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Deliberate Politics Can Topple Science
- Scientific decline is often caused by deliberate political choices, not passive neglect.
- When regimes force ideology onto research, scientists leave and institutions collapse.
Soviet Scientist Who Fled To America
- Rold Sagdev left Soviet science after party control smothered real scholarship and moved to the U.S. where funding and academic freedom impressed him.
- His move illustrates how purges and politicization trigger brain drains that shift scientific centers of gravity.
How Persecution Rewires Global Science
- Nazi Germany's purge of Jewish and dissenting scientists rapidly moved scientific leadership across the Atlantic.
- Brain drain can re-center global science within a few years when persecution drives talent away.