Semyonov was referring to the ruthless manipulation of Soviet science by Trofim Lysenko and other opportunists.

ECONOMIST: Against the prevailing wind

Peasants were forced to work intolerable hours to meet impossible grain quotas, often employing disastrous agricultural methods inspired by the quack Soviet agronomist Trofim Lysenko.

WSJ: The Weekend Interview with Yang Jisheng: Reading Hayek in Beijing