Single Idea 7224

[catalogued under 25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 5. Education / a. Aims of education]

Full Idea

Individuality of character, and diversity in opinions and modes of conduct, involves diversity of education; a general State education is a mere contrivance for moulding people to be exactly like one another.

Gist of Idea

We need individual opinions and conduct, and State education is a means to prevent that

Source

John Stuart Mill (On Liberty [1857], Ch.5)

Book Reference

Mill,John Stuart: 'Utilitarianism (including On Liberty etc)', ed/tr. Warnock,Mary [Fontana 1962], p.239


A Reaction

This strikes me as being particularly true with the advent in Britain of the National Curriculum in the early 1990s. However, if there is a pressure towards conformity in state education, private education is dominated by class and money.