Eshan Maitra
Even the greatest achievements and progress need a push. Though when the result is met, the significance of that beginning fades way. May be the history blurs itself to let the future bask in all the glory and move on. The postmodern technological advancement that we are blessed with today. Also needed that push. Probably the greatest push of human civilization to carry it forward in a very short time. These developments that we have made possible, only happened in mere 200 years. So, after that 1600 years of idle time, how have we managed to cover up for our journey? There was no magic, but a boom of greatness. The revolution had to face much struggle to finally present us with gift of modern days.
The influence of course was from the renaissance era. Galileo, Leonardo Da Vinci and many others. But the Architecture of the Philosophy of Industrial Revolution Sir Francis Bacon. He proposed the most applicable scientific method through Philosophy and created a new outline for science. Much like Aristotle and Plato, he was one of such multi-talented minds who first realized the importance of systematical improvements of science for the betterment of livelihood. Though it took quite some time to catch up. Especially after the French Revolution, the philosopher Condorcet took this as first priority to release the Bacon’s views within politics to shape the society. Politics had a crucial role to play for science.
Possibly Russia was the first nation to realize such importance. When Soviet Union was formed in 1917, Lenin and Marx made sure to continue their revolution for the Socialist State. Though there are many critical debates against it. But even with the ups and downs. The Russian Revolution actually turned the wheels of Industrial Revolution. Bacon’s view and the contributions of many other scientists, philosophers and politicians were the fuel of this ship to sail in the bright future. Sir Isaac Newton’s groundbreaking inventions, layout of the mechanics and influence in Royal Society was most important among these. Russians adapted the materialistic interpretation of history and prioritized their productive forces more than anything. Which made them feel the need of advancement of science in a systematic order. As a results, remarkable and impressive industrial machines were invented and the state funded highly for to ensure highest production benefits. Modern production flows were implemented everywhere to ease the labor and gain best product results. In a way, for the first time science was independent of philosophy and was prioritized by the governors as the single most important aspect of social shaping.
The Liberal Democrats of the West of Europe could not accept all the Socialist views. But the conference “Science at the Crossroads” in 1931 in London, brought them closer into understanding. When Boris Hessen presented his paper “The Social and Economic Roots of Newton’s Principia”, to discuss the history of science and its current matters. He introduced the Soviet Union and their impressive progress. Out of jealousy or the controversial views comparing to young capitalism, whatever it might had been, the socialist views were somewhat appreciated but was refused to be adapted. J.D. Bernal of London University, was first of many who realized the importance of steering the science to systematic direction. He tried to inspire the European states through his book, “The Social Function of Science” in 1939. Rather expressing any strong support toward the Socialist State of Soviet Union, he only gave references to present their form development through the advancement of science. Thus the term “Bernalism” was created.
The world just had went through a destruction of WWII. The Nazi tyranny and the Hiroshima-Nagasaki tragedy, strongly discouraged the Socialist ways and directing the science according to social needs, or to say political needs. “Society for Freedom in Science” was formed in UK with slogan, science should not be controlled. Rather it should be left to bloom itself. But modern researches required funding, funding required enterprises and enterprises needed the benefits to concern about those researches. Even if the government showed the interest to fund for all the researches, they would go dry. US realized it very fast and established the National Science Foundation in 1950. Right way after WWII. They also had quite the resources to do so at that time. It gave the scientists the rights and freedom to choose the researches without the political influence, based on current needs for development. Hence, the great journey of modern science started led by the Industrial Revolution. NSF’s wrote their first report concerning their policies, “Science, the Endless Frontier”.