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John M. Ellis
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The Breakdown of Higher Education: How It Happened, the Damage It Does, and What Can Be Done Kindle Edition

by John M. Ellis (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 out of 5 stars 443 ratings
A series of near-riots on campuses aimed at silencing guest speakers has exposed the fact that our universities are no longer devoted to the free exchange of ideas in pursuit of truth. But this hostility to free speech is only a symptom of a deeper problem, writes John Ellis.

Having watched the deterioration of academia up close for the past fifty years, Ellis locates the core of the problem in a change in the composition of the faculty during this time, from mildly left-leaning to almost exclusively leftist. He explains how astonishing historical luck led to the success of a plan first devised by a small group of activists to use college campuses to promote radical politics, and why laws and regulations designed to prevent the politicizing of higher education proved insufficient.

Ellis shows that political motivation is always destructive of higher learning. Even science and technology departments are not immune. The corruption of universities by radical politics also does wider damage: to primary and secondary education, to race relations, to preparation for the workplace, and to the political and social fabric of the nation. Commonly suggested remedies—new free-speech rules, or enforced right-of-center appointments—will fail because they don’t touch the core problem, a controlling faculty majority of political activists with no real interest in scholarship. This book proposes more drastic and effective reform measures. The first step is for Americans to recognize that vast sums of public money intended for education are being diverted to a political agenda, and to demand that this fraud be stopped.
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  1. Print length
    210 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Encounter Books
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    March 17, 2020
  6. File size
    1.6 MB
  7. Page Flip
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  8. Word Wise
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“In the old Soviet Union, you could get arrested for saying there was no freedom of speech. By the same token, John Ellis’s clear, well-presented, and relentless new critique of higher education demands real answers, but it will probably be unfairly vilified―which is precisely Ellis’s point.”

―Gary Saul Morson, the Lawrence B. Dumas Professor of the Arts and Humanities at Northwestern University

“There are few writers as knowledgeable and clear-eyed about the precipitous and dangerous decline of American universities as John Ellis. Everyone who cares about the future of our country should read this book.”

―David Horowitz, author of Reforming Our Universities

“America’s public universities are engaged in large-scale theft, observes John Ellis trenchantly: they fraudulently divert funds appropriated for education to the improper purpose of political indoctrination. Private colleges are no less deceptive about their activities, holding themselves out as disinterested purveyors of skills and knowledge while inculcating in students a hatred of Enlightenment values and the American project. Ellis plumbs the history that corrupted the country’s once peerless colleges and universities and proposes a radical but necessary plan of action to restore education to its central role in preserving our precious civilization.”

―Heather Mac Donald, the Thomas W. Smith Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and author of The Diversity Delusion

“In this deeply researched and devastating indictment, John M. Ellis contends that decades of radicalization have turned America’s once-great universities into a monoculture of authoritarian leftist orthodoxy. The left-right ratio among faculty is now nearly 12 to 1, with most professors far to the left of ordinary liberals. Conservative voices are openly disdained and often suppressed as campus ideology becomes ever more extreme, and tribalist identity politics holds priority over academic excellence. Administrators and trustees, says Ellis, are ‘too cowardly or too complicit’ to stand up for apolitical scholarship and teaching. Many students are afraid to express their opinions, and they spend far less time studying than in the past. One might hope that Ellis exaggerates in calling the state of higher education ‘a national crisis of vast proportions,’ but the evidence he musters is too potent to be dismissed.”

―Stuart Taylor, Jr., coauthor (with KC Johnson) of The Campus Rape Frenzy: The Attack on Due Process at America’s Universities

About the Author

John M. Ellis is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of German Literature at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He taught at universities in England, Wales, and Canada before joining UCSC in 1966, serving as dean of the Graduate Division in 1977–86. He is the author of ten books, including Literature Lost (Yale), awarded the Peter Shaw Memorial Award by the National Association of Scholars. He founded the Association of Literary Scholars and Critics in 1993, and served as president of the California Association of Scholars in 2007–13 and chairman of its board since then. His articles on education reform have appeared in prominent national publications.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07VGKSTFL
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Encounter Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 17, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.6 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 210 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781641770897
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1641770897
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 out of 5 stars 443 ratings

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4.7 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Godzilla in the University. How the heck did that happen?
    Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I rated this book at Five-Star because the thesis presented: Corruption of Academia in the US, has been a suspicion of mine for some time. Dr. Ellis has opened the door to my understanding on how far the University systems have fallen from Grace and subsequent extent of the issues required to reform it.

    Each Chapter heading encapsulated the content. The content opened the door to my greatest fear that of, the impact of the radical Left on higher learning and the extend their impact is felt in the public school systems.

    My curiosity about methods, the "fix", left me questioning the University Administrations inability to do anything about stopping the ebb toward complete radical takeover. Obviously, they have been co-opted into the Left's agenda either by commission or omission. This is a very frightening state of events in academia.

    My final question was answered concerning the role that State Governments played in the "fix." Again, I believe Dr. Ellis not only pointed to the depth of the issues, but also identified the many obstacles that must be hurdled: State Legislators who are radicalized themselves, often I am assured by being products of these institutions, and the power that families have, if they have the wherewithal to use it, to send their college bound students, and money, to those institutions that have bound themselves to the principles of higher learning.

    Great book. I would place this book on the reading list for parents who truly want their students to develop inquiring minds. Arming parents with the information, I would hope the parents would send their children, and money, only to those institutions that foster the development of critical thinking skills. As a parent I would want reviews by independent organizations that will tell me the truth about institutions that have become bastions of identity politics and pathetic notions of reality
    30 people found this helpful
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  • Guy Roberts
    5.0 out of 5 stars Book is how our universities have become indoctrination centers, not centers for education.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2021
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    I liked this a lot. This book is all about how our higher education is now more about indoctrinating students into the liberal agenda then it is about teaching them how to think for themselves, by only telling one side of the story while suppressing the other side from even being heard.

    The author, a professor, who was was tenured for many years goes into great detail how he saw the Universities come to be this way. And of course, like all professors, he backs up his observations with many events we’ve all heard in the news. I just didn’t realize how bad it has become until I read this book. Like when a visiting guest speaker comes to give a speech about something that liberal professors, (the majority) disagree with for political reasons, the liberal professors will shout down the guest speakers so no one can have an opportunity to consider what they have to say.

    Now I know where the political demonstrates learn that tactic, from their professors, and what a waste of money the students paid for an education that after graduation, they still can’t think for themselves, just the way their professors wanted them.

    This book made me glad I got an old school education where we did debate all sides of the issues. This book also made me feel becoming self educated is nowadays the best way to go.
    15 people found this helpful
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  • Sarah H 3848
    5.0 out of 5 stars Shocking Look at American institutions of Radical Indoctrination
    Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2020
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    A well-written and documented critique of what should be American institutions of higher learning. Ellis uses compelling arguments and convincing proofs to show that far too many campuses have been completely overtaken by elements of the radical left, whose goal is to indoctrinate our children with their distorted ideologies for their selfish political purposes. Faculty and administrators at all levels are complicit in this frightening usurpation of power, and even accrediting agencies have given their stamp of approval in far too many cases. Voices of those on campus or in the community who object are far too often hesitant to do so for fear of damaging personal retribution from those who wish to perpetuate this radical indoctrination. I, for one, have NO desire for my grandchildren to attend a college other than ones that are carefully scrutinized to be sure they communicate truth and provide opportunities for honest debate, critical thinking, etc. I agree with Ellis on the need to defund and completely reconstruct American institutions of radical indoctrination before the damage to our children and our nation becomes irreversible.
    19 people found this helpful
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  • FourPillars
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent analysis of the socialist invasion of education
    Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2024
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    I graduated with a political science major in the 1960's, and lived in Chicago and Los Angeles until 1973. Even my political science professor who was a Democrat predicted what I saw during my travels.
    The 1964 civil rights act, and abuse of Title 9, and the push for equal rights have ALL been abused and prostituted.
    John Ellis nailed it! And read Naomi Wolf too!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • John Desmond
    4.0 out of 5 stars A necessary wake up call
    Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2020
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    As a college professor I can attest to the truth of all of this bias culture. I have been lucky enough not to have been victimized but only just. The book suffers a bit as the author lets his frustration get the best of him in discussing specific cases in which he participated.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • PNRM
    5.0 out of 5 stars Education Destroyed by Political infiltration.
    Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2024
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    Have you noted the declining scores of our youth and wondered what has brought on this misfortune? This book helps put some of the pieces of the puzzle together. A must read for all who are grappling with the demise of our educational system.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Cultural Anthropologist
    5.0 out of 5 stars The truth about today's universities from an insider
    Reviewed in Canada on October 10, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Professor Ellis describes the shift in universities from places of exploration, discussion, debate, and discovery to monocultural, closed societies devoted to advancing radical political goals. “Academia now holds its primary purpose to be the promotion of a radical political ideology, to which it gives the sunny but deceptive label ‘social justice’.” What "social justice" means in practice is anti-male sexism, anti-white/Asian/Jew racism, and anti-heterosexuality. These ugly practices are carried out in student admissions, hiring, segregated facilities, targeted benefits, and segregated ceremonies. "Diversity," of the infamous "diversity, equity, and inclusion," does not include diversity of opinion, which is suppressed by political commissars called "diversity" officers. "Inclusion," of course, means inclusion of preferred categories of people and exclusion of unpreferred categories of people. Universities are today bastions of intolerance and hatred. Ellis' book sets all of this out in detail, including the incredible damage done to what were once serious universities, and are now mostly far left cults. Unfortunately what happens at universities does not stay in universities, but has gone on, via faculties of education, to corrupt totally teachers' unions and school administrations, and this corruption has now flowed into professional associations of doctors, lawyers, and scientists. Ellis' book shows us the heart of this darkness.
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  • Tim B.
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Devastating Indictment
    Reviewed in Canada on December 30, 2020
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    This is a powerful and so very depressing assessment of the near total destruction of educational excellence in not just America but by extension the entire West where publicly funded institutions have been highjacked by the intolerant hard left.

    We either reverse this decline or our society is doomed.

    Can't recommend it enough to all those who sense the decline but have had difficulty articulating it. After absorbing this you will demand that it be stopped while there's still time.
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  • Robert Davie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Education system now an instrument of radical left political ideology
    Reviewed in Canada on February 6, 2021
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    This brave and brilliant book should be on every high school curriculum. I here offer John Ellis a congratulatory
    hand shake.
    R. Davie
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  • Joanne Hughes
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sad but very true.
    Reviewed in Canada on December 1, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Anyone involved in education must read this book !!
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  • Richard
    3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
    Reviewed in Canada on July 5, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    The author decries the lack of balance in university humanities departments and the takeover of universities faculties by “radicals”. He certainly makes a strong case for reform, however he falls prey to the same thing he accuses the “radicals” of doing. That is presenting only one side of history and an overly simplified view of the opposition. Not every left wing professor hates their country and not everyone who promotes diversity has evil intent. Very one dimensional analysis for an author promoting academic excellence and strong reasoning skills.
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