Education in a Free Society [Paperback]

Tibor R. Machan (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0817998322 | ISBN-13: 978-0817998325 | Publication Date: May 2000 | Edition: 1st

In this radical new indictment of public education, Tibor Machan and his contributors challenge the validity of a compulsory, tax-funded system in a fully free society. They question whether human individuality is in fact compatible with coercive, uniform public schooling, offering sometimes shocking but always thought-provoking insights on a number of topics. Education in a Free Society argues that the "one size fits all" approach to education is misguided and ultimately very damaging to learning. Since we do not believe in this approach when it come to exercise, nutrition, clothing, or even medicine, the contributors maintain, why is such an approach accepted in education? They question the most basic precepts of the system, even asking why everyone should be forced to learn evolutionary theory or creationism or Spanish or French or the piano or even mathematics, all at the same time and pace in their lives. Comparing public education to slavery, the book argues that the two institutions share some fundamental features—such as "the massive use of government power to support the regimentation, more or less extensively, of the lives of millions of human individuals." The book also ask why, while more and more families are opting out to private schools and home schooling every year, do relatively few select these options?—and tries to analyze the belief system that is allowing children to be sacrificed to this struggling system generation after generation. With a call for government to abandon the education business entirely, Education in a Free Society suggest that, in place of bureaucracy, we must have entrepreneurship in the provision of education services—and to get the most of entrepreneurship in education, full separation of school and state would be required.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

In this radical new indictment of public education, Tibor Machan and his contributors challenge the validity of a compulsory, tax-funded system in a fully free society. They question whether human individuality is in fact compatible with coercive, uniform public schooling, offering sometimes shocking but always thought-provoking insights on a number of topics.

Education in a Free Society argues that the "one size fits all" approach to education is misguided and ultimately very damaging to learning. Since we do not believe in this approach when it comes to exercise, nutrition, clothing, or even medicine, the contributors maintain, why is such an approach accepted in education? They question the most basic precepts of the system, even asking why everyone should be forced to learn evolutionary theory or creationism or Spanish or French or the piano or even mathematics, all at the same time and pace in their lives. Comparing public education to slavery, the book argues that the two institutions share some fundamental features—such as "the massive use of government power to support the regimentation, more or less extensively, of the lives of millions of human individuals."

The book also asks why, while more and more families are opting out to private schools and home schooling every year, do relatively few select these options?—and it tries to analyze the belief system that is allowing children to be sacrificed to this struggling system generation after generation.

With a call for government to abandon the education business entirely, Education in a Free Society suggests that, in place of bureaucracy, we must have entrepreneurship in the provision of education services—and to get the most out of entrepreneurship in education, full separation of school and state would be required.

Contributors: J. Roger Lee, a retired professor of philosophy; Carol B. Low, a clinical psychologist; Edwin G. West, a professor of economics at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada; and Sheldon Richman, editor of The Freeman.

Tibor R. Machan is a professor at the Argyros School of Business and Economics at Chapman University, Orange, California, and a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford, California. His writings have appeared in the Humanist, National Review, Barron’s, the American Scholar, and numerous daily newspapers throughout the country.

About the Author

Contributors: J. Roger Lee, a retired professor of philosophy; Carol B. Low, a clinical psychologist; Edwin G. West, a professor of economics at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada; and Sheldon Richman, editor of The Freeman.

Tibor R. Machan is a professor at the Argyros School of Business and Economics at Chapman University, Orange, California, and a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford, California. His writings have appeared in the Humanist, National Review, Barron's, the American Scholar, and numerous daily newspapers throughout the country.

Product Details

• Paperback: 149 pages
• Publisher: Hoover Institution Press; 1st edition (May 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0817998322
• ISBN-13: 978-0817998325
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,670,758 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #23 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Education > Policy
  • #42 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Education > Education Theory > Administration

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Multiple Angles, September 19, 2000

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Dan tdaxp "tdaxp" - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Education in a Free Society (Paperback)

This book attacks the public education system from multiple Libertarian angles. The first article is "touchy-feely libertarianism," arguing that "innate goodness" can be relied upon to create a good education system. Another approach is historic, using the example of New York to show how public ed. wormed it's way into America through deceit and fraud, and how it is designed to promoted conformity. Another great article claims harm is done to children in school, and that public schools waste the majority of each student's day.

I have recommended this book to several friends.

In conclusion, EDUCATION IN A FREE SOCIETY is an interesting attack on the American "tax school" system of education that's worth your time and money.