Education and the Industrial Revolution by E. G. West (2001, Paperback, Revised,

DescriptionThe book is about education in England in the nineteenth century, and it is notable for both the breadth of its approach to the subject and for the depth of its analysis. It is a very good book, both profitable and enjoyable in the reading.—Canadian Journal of EconomicsIn Education and the Industrial Revolution, West writes about an Educational Revolution during the Industrial Revolution. This book adds important historical context to E. G. West's better-known Education and the State. Taken together, the two books make a very strong case not only for the separation of state and education, but also the robustness of the market in providing educational services, even in such a difficult period as the Industrial Revolution. West unearthed a large and growing market for education going hand in hand with the rise of industrialism and occurring prior to government intervention. His views were not very palatable to the educational establishment because they contradicted the long-held view that the Industrial Revolution was a disaster and that only government intervention and "compulsion" brought the joys of education to people.Since the inadequacies of the Industrial Revolution remain a key factor in most critiques of capitalism and individual liberty, Education and the Industrial Revolution makes an important contribution to a better understanding of the period. West's skills as a researcher, economist, and historian give breadth to his work. By taking on such issues as supposed educational deficiency, market provision, actual literacy rates, theories of educational reform in the nineteenth century, and the realities of educational intervention, West helps us come to a richer understanding of liberty—one that is little-known today but every bit as relevant as the day it was written.Edwin G. West is Professor Emeritus of Economics at Carleton University, Ottawa.Table of ContentsForeword to the Liberty Fund Edition vii Preface to the First Edition xvPart 1 The Statistical Framework and Basic Hypotheses 11 Traditional Measures of Nineteenth-Century Educational Deficiency 32 The Quantity of Education: Key Issues 93 The Quantity of Education: The One-in-Six Rule 244 The Quality of Education 335 Literacy and the Industrial Revolution 486 The Quality of Education: Dotheboys Hall and Unqualified Teachers 69Part 2 The Evidence on Schools 817 Scottish Elementary Education 838 Education and the Industrial Revolution in England and Wales 1009 Schooling in England and Wales, 1850 –70 123Part 3 Nineteenth-Century Visions of National Systems 14110 Tom Paine’s National System 14311 The National System to Promote Order: The Benthamite Prescription 15212 A System to Complement Poor Law Legislation: Senior and Chadwick 16813 John Stuart Mill’s National System and the Problem of Liberty 18114 A Homogeneous National System: Horace Mann 19815 W. E. Forster and Robert Lowe versus the Birmingham League 209Part 4 The Economic Realities of Intervention 21516 The Public/Private Displacement Mechanism: Did Education Grow Faster or Slower? 21717 Legal Compulsion: Logic and Reality 24518 Free Education: Who Benefited? 26719 Education and Industrial Growth: Did Victorian Britain Fail? 285Bibliography 299Index 309