Democracy and Education [Paperback]

John Dewey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2004

It is not true there is no common interest in such an organization between governed and governors. The authorities in command must make some appeal to the native activities of the subjects, must call some of their powers into play. Talleyrand said that a government could do everything with bayonets except sit on them. This cynical declaration is at least a recognition that the bond of union is not merely one of coercive force.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Dewey (1859-1952) was an American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer whose thoughts and ideas have been highly influential in the United States and around the world. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: Kessinger Publishing (June 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419115561
• ISBN-13: 978-1419115561
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,067,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

82 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pioneering Work of democratic Culture, December 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Democracy And Education (Paperback)

Dewey's classic work, although tedious at times, is a cogent and landmark exposition of progressive educational theory. Democracy for Dewey was both a means and an end to the building of a good and just society. In this regard he sought to develop strategies and methods for training students through learning and discipline to become socially responsible adults and conscientious citizens concerned with the rights of others and the common good and to be equipped with the knowledge and technical skills to be productive members of society in the context of our modern industrial world. Dewey is truly a giant not only of modern educational theory but of progressive humanitarian thought generally. Those who disparage him in a knee jerk fashion out of a misguided effort to trash the "liberal establishment," like the Intercollegiate Scholastic Insititute (ISI) which named "Democracy and Education" as one of the five worst books of the 20th Century, have radically misconstrued Dewey's views which merit serious study and application in practice. Dewey was truly one of the great Americans of the last century of which all people of good will can be proud.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book was..., February 20, 2006

By 

C. Goss (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Democracy And Education (Paperback)

Fantastic; a book I would recommend to just about anyone. To address some of the critics mentioned in the other reviews: RE: "Dewey Dogma" (1) There is absolutely no pretense of an application of the scientific method, hence there can be no mis-application; (2) This book strikes me personally as one of the least dogmatic things I've ever read in my life. The ideas are fresh, original, and beautiful crafted and ordered; (3) "Education is Socialization" - an equation of broadly construed "-tions" that results in a statement that one can neither agree nor disagree with.

I could be wrong, but nowhere did I read these ideas as explicit recommendations to be implemented, rather I read this book as a general exploration of educational aims and processes. Dewey (justifiably in my opinion) explores closely connected concepts which I imagine are left out of other educational texts, which is why some with pre-professional backgrounds in education count the length and depth of this book as a negative.

His writing, in my opinion, is clear and concise (at least in comparison with other great philosophers) - writing that I would personally aspire to. His ideas, and I can't say this enough, are some of the most original I've come across. We didn't really cover the pragmatists in any of my philosophy classes. Reading this makes me wish we had.

27 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great--but, unfortunately, largely overlooked--work., July 18, 1998

By 

Hairy Growler "Hairy Growler" (Reston, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Democracy And Education (Paperback)

Perhaps the fact that this great work receives so little attention is indicative of what ails education: educators focus their attention on all the latest drivel concerning education while only paying lip service to Dewey, who remains the highest-ranking educational philosopher. It pains me to hear and read bungling educators mindlessly parrot Dewey's catch phrases (e.g., "learning by doing") while pushing educational doctrines completely antithetical to Dewey's ideas. Dewey had it right, but is grossly misunderstood by the bozos who vapidly regurgitate his words and phrases. In other words, I recommend that you go to the source.

If you are in any way concerned with or interested in education and happen to stumble upon this lonely page, do yourself, your kids, and/or your students a favor and study this book carefully; It eclipses all other books on education.