Myth 19 - That Darwin Faced a Conspiracy of Silence in Lamarck’s Country

Summary

Why should we care about the reception of Darwin in France? We should care because it’s a fascinating case study of how science can sometimes take an unexpected path as it circulates through a society. The myth of the “conspiracy of silence” was born in the 1860s out of a seeming paradox. Although France was one of the first countries to support transformist theories, it was one of the last in Europe to recognize Darwin’s theory. The myth spread in the 1870s, when Darwin experienced his first rejection at the Academy of Sciences in Paris. According to this myth, not only did the French remain silent on Darwin’s thesis, but there was a conspiracy to nip in the bud any attempt to discuss evolution. In fact, while the debate was largely thwarted in elite scientific institutions, it was growing among the educated public. Public discussion was crucial to the spread of Darwin’s theory, even before the scientific establishment had embraced it. The introduction of Darwinism in France was not a failure. It simply took unusual paths. Indeed, it is usually assumed that the circulation of theories is top-down, that is, from scientific elites to the masses. Through the case of the circulation of Darwinism in France, this chapter aims to show a different pattern, one that restores to the public its role in the diffusion of scientific theories.