Overview
- Addresses the rise of mass schooling as a fundamental issue in the historiography of education
- Highlights the significance of the history of school finance as a hitherto understudied topic
- Draws on an extensive case study of the economy of rural school districts and explores their revenues and expenditures, their management of economic affairs and overall moral economy
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About this book
This book presents expert analysis on how the remarkable rise of mass schooling was funded during the nineteenth century. Based on rich source materials from rural Swedish school districts, and drawing up evidence from schooling in countries including France, Germany, England and the U.S., Westberg examines the moral considerations that guided economic practices and sheds new light on how the advent of schooling did not only rest upon monies, but also on grains, firewood and cow fodder. Exploring school districts’ motives and economic culture, this book shows how schooling was neither primarily guided by frugal impulses nor motivated by a fear of the growing working classes. Instead, school spending served multiple purposes in school districts that pursued a fair and reasonable economic practice.
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Table of contents (7 chapters)
Reviews
“This is a remarkably interesting book about the social and cultural entanglements of school finance in 19th century Sweden. Westberg presents a compelling argument for the economic basis of the rise of primary schools, restoring the complexity of educational finance as a social and cultural dimension beyond reductionist approaches. His informed, inspirational and persuasive analysis documents the efforts related to the funding of mass schooling as it emerged; one wonders how we could make comprehensive arguments about the social dynamics of mass schooling in the 19th century before this book.” (Marcelo Caruso, Professor in History of Education, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany)
“This rich empirical study of everyday practices of school funding in the 19th century provides a fascinating window onto the meaning and importance of schools as community institutions in a transforming economy. It also brings new perspective to understanding the expansion of mass schooling internationally. Finally, Westberg’s study helps us appreciate the creativity and calculation of ordinary families. It is insightful, smart, and humane.” (Nancy Beadie, Historian of Education, Professor at University of Washington and Senior Editor of History of Education Quarterly)
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Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Funding the Rise of Mass Schooling
Book Subtitle: The Social, Economic and Cultural History of School Finance in Sweden, 1840 – 1900
Authors: Johannes Westberg
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40460-8
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages: Education, Education (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2017
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-40459-2Published: 23 December 2016
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-82107-8Published: 12 July 2018
eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-40460-8Published: 24 November 2016
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVII, 242
Number of Illustrations: 12 b/w illustrations, 1 illustrations in colour
Topics: History of Education, Social History, Educational Policy and Politics, Financial History, Early Childhood Education