> When did the soviets deny physical phenomena like the photoelectric effect? I believe they had issues with the kind of non-falsifiable metaphysical arguments put forward to try to explain or understand quantum mechanics.
There were many, but the most famous example is probably Lysenkoism, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysenkoism
The analogy is that regardless of sociopolitical setting, people in power use their non-evidence-based opinions to suppress developments which they consider to be against their ideology.
Do you claim Ballmer had no ideology?