Healthy democracies are based on scientific evidence to shed light on environmental policies, support public health and promote technological progress. Science can serve as independent voices to help society assess complex challenges, guiding governments far from threats and to enlightened actions that keep people in security and prosperous. It offers an essential way to assess policies and keep the results responsible for the results.
This independence is the reason why authoritarian regimes invariably target science and scientists. Authoritarianism acts as an implacable tide, pulling science below the surface of political control. Authoritarian regimes deal with scientific evidence not as a tool calibrated by research, collaboration and free exchange of ideas, but as an obstacle to overcome.
What does the authoritarian business look like?
Manufacturing of facts. Instead of using science to understand and communicate on the facts, an authoritarian regime obliges the facts to comply with political accounts. Remember “Peak“In 2019, when the president of the time, Trump, tracked down the way of an official forecast of the NOAA to correspond to his incorrect assertion according to which a hurricane could strike the Alabama? The next day, the administration of the people appointed policies tried to intimidate the staff of the NOAA to retroactively confirm the manufacture of the president. Falsification of scientific conclusions is a tactic that allows to invent the justifications for their own decisions and to act with impunity
Armament uncertainty. When bad actors cannot deny the facts squarely, they can complete the waters by creating the appearance of doubt. This approach was launched by the tobacco And fossil fuels industriesWho launched a solid academic debate such as ignorance or confusion and exploited the idea of uncertainty to consider regulations to protect people from the pollution they have created. Uncertainty is part of science, which is based on an iterative refinement of reliable and valid evaluations, but it is easily exploited to suggest that evidence simply does not exist. If a political actor does not want to take measures to recognize or solve a problem, or if he wants to introduce disinformation instead of clear evidence, he can simply claim that a lack of absolute precision should prevent any political action. The intentional poor reading of scientific methods causes paralysis, leaving vulnerable societies rather than prepared.
Silence scientific navigators. The authoritarian approach is to actively repress scientists who question official accounts. Thanks to history, researchers working under authoritarian regimes are rejected, threatened or even imprisoned – from political conversations that they should help guide and cut to communicate their conclusions with the public. Rather than turning to scientists for impartial recommendations based on the best available sciences, we see the Trump administration ignoring career experts, canceling the financing of disadvantaged research areas and systematically dismantling scientific Consultative committees. To silence the voices of scientists inside and outside the government not only hinders scientific progress, but also endangers public health and security.
Accelerate a brain leak. The authoritarian approach penalizes open discourse on the best available sciences and what it means for policies and regulations. Faced with a professional dismissal and the confiscation of assets and financing, scientists are looking for opportunities elsewhere. A striking example is the leakage of the brains which has emerged from the suppression of freedom of expression and the fear of Political persecution in Türkiye. Students and scientists naturally seek to migrate to environments compatible with the pursuit of innovation, new knowledge and solutions to complex problems. And the consequence for the population left behind is an economy of Stop, a muffled innovation, less effective treatments for chronic and infectious diseases, and dangerous water and air.
International collaboration in ruin. Scientific progress is based on global collaboration for crossed theories and methods and carrying out new ideas and solutions, but the authoritarian approach restricted international partnerships By imposing travel prohibitions or limiting access to foreign research institutions. This isolation reduces the exchange of knowledge and slows down technological, environmental, economic and societal progress.
What does the graphic with security waters look like?
Science is part of a healthy democracy, and attacks against science are a clear red flag that political actors are trying to eliminate threats to their power. A vital antidote is membership of Principles of scientific integrity. Government agencies must actively maintain scientific advisory committees and support rigorous scientific collaborations, allowing researchers to follow science wherever it leads rather than dictating results from above.
The models we see today have a dark story and they represent a real danger for all of us. Fortunately, the obliteration of scientific infrastructure by the Trump administration is noticed and met fierce opposition Scientists and scientific societies, with the support of science defense organizations through campaigns, training, toolboxes and scholarships. You can join these efforts to stop anti-science attacks by ask your elected officials To protect funding from science and economics policies from vital planets. We did it successfully before and we will refer it, for science, for democracy, and for the world, we want future generations to inherit.