quote:
Broadly I would say that a culture of ignorance is a culture where reasoned and rational evidence based knowledge is supressed in favour of ideological or faith based assertions.
Stalin and Mao fostered such cultures by actually going so far as exterminating those educated and/or brave enough to oppose their view of society.
Ideology is not necessarily based on religion.
Scientific progress did not stop under
Stalin's rule.
Under Stalin's rule the Soviet Union was transformed from an agricultural nation into a global superpower at the cost of millions of lives. The USSR's industrialization was successful in that the country was able to defend against and eventually defeat the Axis invasion in World War II, though at an enormous cost in human life; and in 1957, four years after Stalin's death, to put into orbit the first ever artificial satellite, Sputnik 1.
Even Mao's ideology was not based on religion.
So concerning the question in the OP.
This arguement thus asks the question: "Does religion make good people do bad things?" In this case "bad things" refers to standing in the way of progress.
What you've shown is that leaders don't need religion to guide their ideologies which can lead them to do "bad things" or stand in the way of "progress".
Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?
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