Marx, Social Darwinism, Marx, Social Darwinism, and Freudand Freud

Effects on EducationEffects on Education

Karl MarxKarl Marx

Founder of Founder of “scientific “scientific socialism”socialism”

Influenced by Influenced by Hegel, Feuerbach, Hegel, Feuerbach, and Henriand Henri

Wrote Wrote Das Das KapitalKapital and and Manifesto of the CoManifesto of the Communist Partymmunist Party

HegelHegel

Believed all knowledge is human Believed all knowledge is human knowledge. Truth is subjective.knowledge. Truth is subjective.

His philosophy is a method for His philosophy is a method for understanding the progress of understanding the progress of history.history.

Thoughts are correct for you at a Thoughts are correct for you at a point in time. They might not be point in time. They might not be correct for everyone or for all time.correct for everyone or for all time.

Truth and reason are dynamic.Truth and reason are dynamic.

HegelHegel

History shows that humans are History shows that humans are progressing toward greater progressing toward greater rationality and freedom.rationality and freedom.

Dialectic process: A tension arises Dialectic process: A tension arises between two opposite ways of between two opposite ways of thinking; it is resolved by a third thinking; it is resolved by a third thought that accommodates the best thought that accommodates the best of the other points (thesis, antithesis, of the other points (thesis, antithesis, synthesis).synthesis).

(Gaarder, 1991)(Gaarder, 1991)

FeuerbachFeuerbach ““Feuerbach is the only one who has a serious, critical Feuerbach is the only one who has a serious, critical

attitude to the Hegelian dialectic and who has made attitude to the Hegelian dialectic and who has made genuine discoveries in this field. He is in fact the true genuine discoveries in this field. He is in fact the true conqueror of the old philosophy”.conqueror of the old philosophy”.MarxMarx, 1844, 1844 (www.marxist.org).(www.marxist.org).

Feuerbach is best known for his criticism of Idealism and Feuerbach is best known for his criticism of Idealism and religion, especially Christianity, written in the early forties. religion, especially Christianity, written in the early forties. He believed that any progress in human culture and He believed that any progress in human culture and civilization required the repudiation of both. His later civilization required the repudiation of both. His later writings were concerned with developing a materialistic writings were concerned with developing a materialistic humanism and an ethics of human solidarity. These writings humanism and an ethics of human solidarity. These writings have been more or less ignored until recently because most have been more or less ignored until recently because most scholars have regarded him primarily as the bridge scholars have regarded him primarily as the bridge between Hegel and Marx (plato.stanford.edu).between Hegel and Marx (plato.stanford.edu).

Claude HenriClaude Henri

Founder of Saint Simonian Founder of Saint Simonian movement, a Christian scientific movement, a Christian scientific socialism.socialism.

Social science should be seen as Social science should be seen as equivalent to natural science.equivalent to natural science.

Identified industrialism in Europe and Identified industrialism in Europe and was concerned about laboring was concerned about laboring classes (cepa.newschool.edu).classes (cepa.newschool.edu).

IndustrialismIndustrialism

Economy: most important social Economy: most important social structure.structure.

Industrialism affected the entire Industrialism affected the entire society and all social structures, society and all social structures, including education.including education.

False consciousness versus class False consciousness versus class consciousness.consciousness.

Workers will overthrow capitalists, Workers will overthrow capitalists, and a classless society will emerge.and a classless society will emerge.

The Marxist SynthesisThe Marxist Synthesis

Social-conflict theory: The group in Social-conflict theory: The group in power struggles to maintain the power struggles to maintain the status quo while the oppressed status quo while the oppressed struggle to change it.struggle to change it.

Capitalist-thesisCapitalist-thesis Workers-antithesisWorkers-antithesis Classless society: synthesisClassless society: synthesis Wanted workers to revolt.Wanted workers to revolt.

Marx and EducationMarx and Education

Schools would change when the economic Schools would change when the economic structure changed.structure changed.

Values taught in school would change from Values taught in school would change from individualism and competitiveness to individualism and competitiveness to egalitarianism and collectivism.egalitarianism and collectivism.

Neo-Marxism: schools are a source of class Neo-Marxism: schools are a source of class conflict.conflict.

What would Marx say about tracking?What would Marx say about tracking?

……

Evolution, Social Darwinism & Evolution, Social Darwinism & EducationEducation

Charles DarwinCharles Darwin 1809-18821809-1882

Theory of EvolutionTheory of Evolution Life on earth evolved through processes of natural Life on earth evolved through processes of natural

selection.selection.

Developed through observation, Developed through observation, experiments, & insight.experiments, & insight.

1831: Darwin sailed on the Beagle, spent 5 1831: Darwin sailed on the Beagle, spent 5 years in the South Atlantic & Pacific years in the South Atlantic & Pacific collecting, classifying, and studying a wide collecting, classifying, and studying a wide variety of life forms.variety of life forms.

bred domestic plants & animals in England.bred domestic plants & animals in England. His conclusionHis conclusion: Originally simple life : Originally simple life

forms had grown increasingly differentiated forms had grown increasingly differentiated through a long progression of purely natural through a long progression of purely natural steps.steps.

……

Darwin saw nature as a dynamic processDarwin saw nature as a dynamic process

Within it exists natural selection – Within it exists natural selection – favorable individual differences are favorable individual differences are preserved & injurious variations preserved & injurious variations destroyed.destroyed.

Survival of the fittest an optimistic and Survival of the fittest an optimistic and positive process.positive process.

Social DarwinismSocial Darwinism

Struggle for existenceStruggle for existence• Key argument of the social DarwinistsKey argument of the social Darwinists

Justified economic & social competition Justified economic & social competition between individualsbetween individuals

Condemned interference with natural laws Condemned interference with natural laws as socially disruptive.as socially disruptive.

Social DarwinistsSocial Darwinists

Ernst H. Haeckel (1834-1919) Ernst H. Haeckel (1834-1919) • German biologist and a leading German biologist and a leading

Darwinist on the Continent.Darwinist on the Continent.• Asserted that natural law made progress Asserted that natural law made progress

necessary, inevitable, and irresistible.necessary, inevitable, and irresistible.• Claimed that the developing organism Claimed that the developing organism

was reliving its evolutionary history as it was reliving its evolutionary history as it passed through stages that passed through stages that recapitulated those of its ancestors.recapitulated those of its ancestors.

……

Thomas H. Huxley (1825-1895)Thomas H. Huxley (1825-1895)• Man’s Place in NatureMan’s Place in Nature

James Anthony Froude (1818-1894)James Anthony Froude (1818-1894)• HistorianHistorian• Wrote 12 volume History of EnglandWrote 12 volume History of England• ““superior people have a natural right to govern superior people have a natural right to govern

their inferiors”their inferiors” Nicholas Danilevsky (1822-1885)Nicholas Danilevsky (1822-1885)

• Saw history as a record of particular racial Saw history as a record of particular racial groups, governed by natural laws, passing groups, governed by natural laws, passing through different stages of development.through different stages of development.

Herbert Spencer Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)(1820-1903)

From childhood he had strong feelings of From childhood he had strong feelings of individualism that opposed any individualism that opposed any restrictions on freedom by church or restrictions on freedom by church or state.state.

Tutored by his father William who Tutored by his father William who believed existing schools were ineffective.believed existing schools were ineffective.• Stressed basics -- reading, writing & Stressed basics -- reading, writing &

arithmetic. Greatest attention given to arithmetic. Greatest attention given to science an math. science an math.

• Latin, Greek, ancient history & classical Latin, Greek, ancient history & classical literature virtually ignored.literature virtually ignored.

……

Spencer was encouraged by his Spencer was encouraged by his father to discuss and analyze all father to discuss and analyze all manner of current issues.manner of current issues.

Tutoring featured skeptical Tutoring featured skeptical questioning of conventional questioning of conventional assumptions about knowledge and assumptions about knowledge and society.society.

SpencerSpencer

Civil engineer age 17 to 21Civil engineer age 17 to 21• Read widely in sciences during spare timeRead widely in sciences during spare time

Gained popularity as a journalist and criticGained popularity as a journalist and critic• turned to lecturing.turned to lecturing.

His book His book First Principles of a New System First Principles of a New System of Philosophyof Philosophy attempted to apply attempted to apply biological evolution to society.biological evolution to society.

Essays, Scientific, Political, and Essays, Scientific, Political, and Speculative reaffirmed his belief in the Speculative reaffirmed his belief in the importance of science and the need to importance of science and the need to limit government regulation.limit government regulation.

……

Operation of the universe involves a Operation of the universe involves a constant distribution of matter and constant distribution of matter and motion.motion.

Evolution Evolution • Progressive integration of matterProgressive integration of matter

Accompanied by the dissipation of motionAccompanied by the dissipation of motion DissolutionDissolution

• Disorganization of matterDisorganization of matter Accompanied by the absorption of motion.Accompanied by the absorption of motion.

……

Homogeneous societies develop into more Homogeneous societies develop into more complex social systems characterized by complex social systems characterized by an increasing variety of individual roles.an increasing variety of individual roles.

Asserted that the pressures of subsistence Asserted that the pressures of subsistence were beneficial. were beneficial. • Fittest of each generation survive by their skill, Fittest of each generation survive by their skill,

intelligence, diligence& ability to adapt to intelligence, diligence& ability to adapt to change.change.

The more intelligent & adaptive will inherit the earth The more intelligent & adaptive will inherit the earth & populate it with equally intelligent & effective & populate it with equally intelligent & effective offspring.offspring.

Spencer cont’dSpencer cont’d

Supported British liberalismSupported British liberalism Opposed Opposed

• government privileges for any church andgovernment privileges for any church and• Classically oriented educationClassically oriented education

Built his philosophy on the principle of Built his philosophy on the principle of persistence of forcepersistence of force manifested by manifested by matter & motion.matter & motion.

Spencerian Social DarwinismSpencerian Social Darwinism Rationale used by those opposed toRationale used by those opposed to

• Legislative alleviation of poverty &Legislative alleviation of poverty &• State-supported education, housing, medicine, banking State-supported education, housing, medicine, banking

& postal systems.& postal systems. Spencer saw capitalism as culminating in human Spencer saw capitalism as culminating in human

prosperity. Marx saw it as a predatory stage in prosperity. Marx saw it as a predatory stage in history.history.• Both believed social change is produced by inevitable Both believed social change is produced by inevitable

universal patterns over which people have little on no universal patterns over which people have little on no control.control.

Spencer opposed those who thought social ills are Spencer opposed those who thought social ills are the result of some environmental malfunction.the result of some environmental malfunction.• Saw sociology & allied social sciences as having both a Saw sociology & allied social sciences as having both a

descriptivedescriptive & a & a prescriptiveprescriptive function. function.

Spencerian EducationSpencerian Education

Conventional schooling seen as Conventional schooling seen as impractical, ornamental, and impractical, ornamental, and irrelevant to the needs of an industrial irrelevant to the needs of an industrial society.society.

Spencer opposed to government Spencer opposed to government control of educationcontrol of education

Wanted a curriculum putting emphasis Wanted a curriculum putting emphasis on science.on science.

People need to perform a number of People need to perform a number of life-sustaining activities effectively.life-sustaining activities effectively.

supporting human lifesupporting human life

Activities directly related to self-preservationActivities directly related to self-preservation Activities indirectly related to self-Activities indirectly related to self-

preservation that secure the necessities of preservation that secure the necessities of lifelife

Activities related to the rearing of childrenActivities related to the rearing of children Activities related to the proper maintenance Activities related to the proper maintenance

of social & political relationshipsof social & political relationships Activities related to leisure time that gratify Activities related to leisure time that gratify

taste and feelings.taste and feelings.

Spencerian Education MethodologySpencerian Education Methodology

mental discipline and evolutionary mental discipline and evolutionary developmentdevelopment• Instruction should follow developmental Instruction should follow developmental

stagesstages Simple to complexSimple to complex Concrete to abstractConcrete to abstract Empirical to the rationalEmpirical to the rational

Education should allow the learner’s Education should allow the learner’s self-developmentself-development

Victorian EraVictorian Era

Age of political ideologies, characterized by Age of political ideologies, characterized by clashes between liberals & conservatives.clashes between liberals & conservatives.

Intellectual fermentIntellectual ferment• Rise of natural science had challenged religious Rise of natural science had challenged religious

orthodoxy and theology.orthodoxy and theology. There was a clash between scientific and There was a clash between scientific and

humanist attitudes.humanist attitudes.• Thomas Huxley (1825-95) ----scientific Thomas Huxley (1825-95) ----scientific

education education • Matthew Arnold (1822-88)----Matthew Arnold (1822-88)----human nature remains human nature remains

the samethe same

Social Darwinism in AmericaSocial Darwinism in America

Social Darwinism provided a Social Darwinism provided a scientific explanation for industrial scientific explanation for industrial capitalism.capitalism.• Natural laws of supply & demand & open Natural laws of supply & demand & open

marketmarket

Calvinist PuritansCalvinist Puritans

William Graham Sumner William Graham Sumner (1840-1910)(1840-1910)

Professor of political & social science at Yale Professor of political & social science at Yale UniversityUniversity

Education as a process of inducting the Education as a process of inducting the immature individual into the knowledge, immature individual into the knowledge, skills, and values of the group.skills, and values of the group.

Social change – gradual evolutionary process Social change – gradual evolutionary process caused environmental changes that are caused environmental changes that are induced by natural causes or technological induced by natural causes or technological innovation.innovation.• Discounted revolution as an instrument of major Discounted revolution as an instrument of major

social changes.social changes.

Reassertion of social DarwinismReassertion of social Darwinism

Neo-Conservative revival (1980s) had Neo-Conservative revival (1980s) had Spencerian content.Spencerian content.• Resurgent individualismResurgent individualism• Economic deregulationEconomic deregulation• Reduction of social programsReduction of social programs• More science & math in curriculumMore science & math in curriculum

Neo-Conservative policies also Neo-Conservative policies also implemented in England at the same timeimplemented in England at the same time

Soviet Union and its satellite states – Soviet Union and its satellite states – similar policies adopted.similar policies adopted.

FreudFreud

Psychoanalytical Psychoanalytical theorytheory

JewishJewish Socioeconomic Socioeconomic

changeschanges Influenced by Influenced by

Feuerbach, Feuerbach, Brentano, Brucke, Brentano, Brucke, Clause, and Clause, and CharcotCharcot

Freud’s ViennaFreud’s Vienna

Emperor Franz Emperor Franz Josef was tolerant Josef was tolerant of Jewish of Jewish community and community and helped decrease helped decrease discrimination discrimination against them. This against them. This allowed the Jewish allowed the Jewish people to be people to be successful.successful.

BruckeBrucke

PhysiologistPhysiologist Could study human behavior through Could study human behavior through

empirical method.empirical method. The scientific method should be The scientific method should be

applied to medicine.applied to medicine.

CharcotCharcot

Specialized in mental illnessSpecialized in mental illness One of the most famous neurologists One of the most famous neurologists

of all timeof all time Discovered and described a variety Discovered and described a variety

of neurologically-based diseases.of neurologically-based diseases. Was among the first to match Was among the first to match

specific anatomical lesions to a specific anatomical lesions to a variety of neurological disorders variety of neurological disorders (www.indiana.edu).(www.indiana.edu).

Id, ego and superegoId, ego and superego

Id: primitive, instinctual drives such as Id: primitive, instinctual drives such as sexuality and aggression. The id is present sexuality and aggression. The id is present at birth and requires immediate at birth and requires immediate gratification.gratification.

Ego: finds balance between primitive Ego: finds balance between primitive drives and morals. The ego is concerned drives and morals. The ego is concerned with person’s safety.with person’s safety.

Superego: internalization of cultural Superego: internalization of cultural regulations. The superego is a person’s regulations. The superego is a person’s conscience (en.wikipedia.org).conscience (en.wikipedia.org).

Freud and EducationFreud and Education

Early childhood is important to adult Early childhood is important to adult mental health.mental health.

Education served to teach culture.Education served to teach culture. Education can help children control their Education can help children control their

instincts.instincts. Child’s instincts should be lead to Child’s instincts should be lead to

constructive expression; they should not constructive expression; they should not be suppressed.be suppressed.

Teachers should be aware of individual Teachers should be aware of individual differences.differences.

Freud and EducationFreud and Education

To avoid harming a child To avoid harming a child psychologically, schools should find psychologically, schools should find ways to liberate the child while ways to liberate the child while conforming to cultural standards.conforming to cultural standards.

A child’s instincts should not be A child’s instincts should not be denied but adapted to social reality denied but adapted to social reality (www.ibe.unesco.org).(www.ibe.unesco.org).

Anna FreudAnna Freud

Founder of child psychoanalysisFounder of child psychoanalysis

Focused on the importance of the Focused on the importance of the ego.ego.

Was important in the field of child Was important in the field of child development (development (www.webster.eduwww.webster.edu))

ReferencesReferences http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Biographies/Science/http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Biographies/Science/

Darwin.htmDarwin.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Darwinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Darwin http://pages.britishlibrary.net/charles.darwin/http://pages.britishlibrary.net/charles.darwin/ http://users.hol.gr/~dilos/prehis/prerm2.htmhttp://users.hol.gr/~dilos/prehis/prerm2.htm http://www.marxist.orghttp://www.marxist.org http://plato.stanford.eduhttp://plato.stanford.edu http://cepa.newschool.eduhttp://cepa.newschool.edu http://www.indiana.eduhttp://www.indiana.edu http://www.webster.eduhttp://www.webster.edu Gaarder, J. (1991). Sophie’s World. New York: Berkley Gaarder, J. (1991). Sophie’s World. New York: Berkley

Books.Books.