Education for the Good Society

Abstract

Education for the Good Society is part of the Good Society project of Compass: Direction for the Democratic Left. In contrast to Cameron’s privatising, anti-state Big Society, the concept of the Good Society is rooted in equality, democracy, sustainability and well-being, providing a vision and path of transformation capable of drawing support across different groups in an increasingly fragmented society. However, envisaging education as a force for progressive change is a difficult mission because, since its formation in the late nineteenth century, mass state education has served to reinforce prevailing economic and social relations. But, at the same time, it has contained within it visions of a better world, not only for individuals but also for communities and wider society. Education for all was born out of a wide social and ideological struggle and this continues to be the case today. The starting argument of this ebook is that the present condition of English education results from a hegemonic defeat of 30 years ago. Despite some rises in achievement, more teachers and the improved school buildings of the last decade, education suffers from an impoverished vision, particularly in the popular psyche. Both Conservative and New Labour governments, albeit in different ways, reduced education to the search for family and personal advantage, performativity and bureaucracy. If there was ever a time for a fundamental reappraisal it is now. In some ways New Labour’s 2010 general election defeat was the ultimate ignominy. Despite the opportunities offered to it in 1997, the unwillingness and inability of New Labour in government to transform public under- standing of education and other public services means that the quantitative gains of those years are easily reversed. The Coalition Government has been setting about this at lightning speed as it imposes a traditional curriculum and extends school autonomy.