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scimitar
25th April 2005, 01:23
Over the past few weeks, I have become much more familiar with the economic aspects of Marxism and the particular ideals of communism.

However, I am still confused about the role of education in specific societies.

How would a communist approach education, as opposed to an anarchist or a socialist?
What would be the function of the school, if any?

I know RedStar has written extensively about this issue, but unfortunately, the RedStar Papers are currently down and I can't access his article.

Any help would be great. Specific articles about leftist approaches to education would be great as well.

Thanks a lot.

NovelGentry
25th April 2005, 02:29
I personally feel education will be extremely difused within the society itself. While maintaining general education will be extremely important in any society (people need literacy and math literacy first and foremost) -- a lot of specific aspects could probably be focused on with a more hands on approach. In this sense education would become a second function to production itself -- outside of this, self-education should be highly promoted. That is, where people take interest in certain things, they should have the means to educate themselves in these areas. Obviously the internet has become a great tool for this, even in capitalist society.

OleMarxco
25th April 2005, 12:09
We will abolish education (as it is) all togheter, me thinkesth - and just insert a new system, called for: "obligatory job training/learning-period". When someone applies for a job, they will be teached in a "training-perod" how to do that job. Perhaps a week or so. That's all. Year-long educations are bullshit ;)

Kurt Crover
25th April 2005, 12:25
Originally posted by [email protected] 25 2005, 11:09 AM
We will abolish education (as it is) all togheter, me thinkesth - and just insert a new system, called for: "obligatory job training/learning-period". When someone applies for a job, they will be teached in a "training-perod" how to do that job. Perhaps a week or so. That's all. Year-long educations are bullshit ;)
Yeah year long educations are pointless. But tell me more about this "training programme". Sounds very interesting.

Jersey Devil
25th April 2005, 12:34
Originally posted by [email protected] 25 2005, 11:09 AM
We will abolish education (as it is) all togheter, me thinkesth - and just insert a new system, called for: "obligatory job training/learning-period". When someone applies for a job, they will be teached in a "training-perod" how to do that job. Perhaps a week or so. That's all. Year-long educations are bullshit ;)
"Education" is about more then getting a job especially in college/university where you have professors doing research, publishing books, and writing pieces for academic journals on the side.

Roses in the Hospital
28th April 2005, 22:23
I think children need to be taught education is intrinsically a good thing. It's not all about getting a job. Primary education should be maintained to give kids a basic grounding in the 'essentials:' language, maths, basic science, a little history and I'd even philosophy. After they know what the subjects are they'd be better versed to make a infomed decision on what area (if any) they want to persue...

redstar2000
29th April 2005, 02:18
Education in a Communist Society (http://redstar2000papers.com/theory.php?subaction=showfull&id=1082767212&archive=&cnshow=headlines&start_from=&ucat=&)

http://www.websmileys.com/sm/cool/123.gif

pandora
29th April 2005, 03:13
Originally posted by Roses in the [email protected] 29 2005, 12:53 AM
I think children need to be taught education is intrinsically a good thing. It's not all about getting a job. Primary education should be maintained to give kids a basic grounding in the 'essentials:' language, maths, basic science, a little history and I'd even philosophy. After they know what the subjects are they'd be better versed to make a infomed decision on what area (if any) they want to persue...
Despite Rousseau's draconian anti-feminist principals :lol: Something I like to refer to as the "Bride of Frakenstein" his ideas as far as holistic education and educating "human beings" to exist in and through the world was quite revolutionary.

This seems to be more the pedagogy of both Che Guevara and later the educationalist Paulo Freire.

It is interesting that mostly self-entitled males who have had free access to education are more anxious for release from these "prisons" of education.
WHile I also deplore the conditions of the modern school room, and the prison of its confinement, I think the subjects of literacy, language, poetry, theory, philosophy, and art, in addition to the technical trades, of which each person should have a specialization.

THose who deplore such classrooms have never been shut out from them perhaps, but I agree with Virginia Woolf when she stated in "A Room Of One's Own" following her barment from Oxford, and the Oxbridge library, "I thought how unpleasant it is to be locked out; and I thought how it is worse perhaps to be locked in."(Wolfe,1929)

I dream of more the Renaissance woman or man, who has a technical trade, but also a "liberal" education in the humanities.

In addition to this, I think everyone should know how to build a shelter, start a fire, grow food, follow plant development. It has been proven time and time again that growing plants is beneficial for children in subtle ways that increases their health and resilence.

In transferring to a Communist society, I would wish to see healing education through service learning, nature walks while determining different species of soil, fauna, and animals. Camping trips in small groups with a teacher under the stars.

My ideal class would be a group of ten on a thousand mile trail with packs and guidebooks, some books of poetry and mathematics as well as philosophy, and journals for writing and journaling. THis is how much of the naturalist education which developed the Enlightenment was created and I think it is still rationale.

marxist_socialist_aussie
29th April 2005, 11:49
I disagree with some of you here, I believe that, in a communist society, education would surely play an important in its ability, not only to equip those of the next generation for their area of expertise, but also to promote empathy (which occurs if done properly). Further, I do not believe it is possible to form a successful country/nation etc. unless it is well educated and its people have knowledge. Finally, I believe that everybody has the right to education, so who are we to stand in the way of those who wish to learn, gain knowledge etc. Then again, there are of course those who do not enjoy education, learning etc. in an academic sense so they would be allowed to pursue what others here have described, an education in a more 'training' sense. I do not know if this perfectly fits into a marxist sense however, we have to remember that Marx was a well educated man.

scimitar
30th April 2005, 18:45
Thanks for all of the replies!

It seems as if my school is not teaching me anything of value right now. I don't feel that students are happy or ready to learn.

From the ideas that I have seen, it seems like leftist soultions for education are so much better than the warehouse-prison mentality we have in the status quo. In the meantime, I've found the student bulletin boards at my high school a nice place for revolutionary posters... :P

The administrators remove the material, but my printer is still going strong.

More Fire for the People
30th April 2005, 18:53
Education would be similar to what is it now, but with a few differences:
Sociology and psychology applied to problems rather than traditional punishment;
Harm reduction;
Un-biased and objective education;
For ages 15-19 education would be more career-oriented;

marxist_socialist_aussie
1st May 2005, 01:37
I think a lot of the answer to this question has to take into acount the society created within the school itself. The problem is, for some schools (such as the one I atend), the atmosphere is very calm and friendly where you are encouraged to express your own views, ideas etc. However, if the schools don't create this atmosphere, I believe they essentially become prisons used to condition the future workers generation to comply and live within the existing status quo.