Probably Einstein, because he seems like an interesting dude beyond his physics. He liked philosophy, for example, and is one of the examples that I invoke when I argue that university level science education should involve more philosophy — Einstein wasn’t an anomaly in this respect, but a good symbol for discussing how the practice of scientists doing philosophy seems to have waned over the 20th century.
He was also pro-socialism, and had sensible takes about how science isn’t a universal solution to stuff, but a specialised tool that is good for some problems but not for others.
I mean, Socialism and Communism are different things. Regardless of one’s own personal perspective on the matter, it’s certainly plausible that someone could be in favour of socialism, but not communism (I can’t speak to Einstein’s views on communism specifically, given that much of what I know of his political views in this vein comes from his essay “Why Socialism?”. He may well have been a raging commie, but chose Socialism because he was aiming his piece at a particular audience.)
(I can’t speak to Einstein’s views on communism specifically, given that much of what I know of his political views in this vein comes from his essay “Why Socialism?”. He may well have been a raging commie, but chose Socialism because he was aiming his piece at a particular audience.)
He already had to leave one country before, it’s probably more him being careful.
The FBI had opened its file on Einstein in 1932, , when he was seeking to immigrate to the United States, with a long report by the Woman Patriot Corporation (WPC), which in its extreme anti-Communism, claimed that Einstein was inadmissible to the country. “Not even Stalin himself,” the WPC charged, “is affiliated with so many anarcho-communist international groups to promote…world revolution and ultimate anarchy, as ALBERT EINSTEIN.”3 The FBI continued to collect everything it could on Einstein’s numerous socialist connections for the remainder of his life.
Couldn’t work on the atomic bomb bcs the military considered him a security risk.
Nobody is going to out themselves as communist in those circumstances
In order to properly comment, I think I’d need to learn more about the differences between socialism and communism as understood when Einstein wrote his essay. I have a good sense of how we understand and use those terms nowadays, but a lot has changed since then in terms of the development of political theories, but also the wider cultural context.
What is clear though is that the essay was a ballsy move, even if Socialism was regarded as less dangerous than communism
Probably Einstein, because he seems like an interesting dude beyond his physics. He liked philosophy, for example, and is one of the examples that I invoke when I argue that university level science education should involve more philosophy — Einstein wasn’t an anomaly in this respect, but a good symbol for discussing how the practice of scientists doing philosophy seems to have waned over the 20th century.
He was also pro-socialism, and had sensible takes about how science isn’t a universal solution to stuff, but a specialised tool that is good for some problems but not for others.
Related: those who enjoy long video essays may enjoy this one from an awesome ex-astrophysicist: Einstein Was a Socialist; Should We Care? (1h16m)
Some people really can’t say the C-word.
I mean, Socialism and Communism are different things. Regardless of one’s own personal perspective on the matter, it’s certainly plausible that someone could be in favour of socialism, but not communism (I can’t speak to Einstein’s views on communism specifically, given that much of what I know of his political views in this vein comes from his essay “Why Socialism?”. He may well have been a raging commie, but chose Socialism because he was aiming his piece at a particular audience.)
Edit: forgot to close my parentheses
He already had to leave one country before, it’s probably more him being careful.
The FBI had opened its file on Einstein in 1932, , when he was seeking to immigrate to the United States, with a long report by the Woman Patriot Corporation (WPC), which in its extreme anti-Communism, claimed that Einstein was inadmissible to the country. “Not even Stalin himself,” the WPC charged, “is affiliated with so many anarcho-communist international groups to promote…world revolution and ultimate anarchy, as ALBERT EINSTEIN.”3 The FBI continued to collect everything it could on Einstein’s numerous socialist connections for the remainder of his life.
Couldn’t work on the atomic bomb bcs the military considered him a security risk.
Nobody is going to out themselves as communist in those circumstances
In order to properly comment, I think I’d need to learn more about the differences between socialism and communism as understood when Einstein wrote his essay. I have a good sense of how we understand and use those terms nowadays, but a lot has changed since then in terms of the development of political theories, but also the wider cultural context.
What is clear though is that the essay was a ballsy move, even if Socialism was regarded as less dangerous than communism