Description:
JOHN LOCKE AND THE POWER OF THE FAMILY OVER EDUCATION. Who deserves author-ity over education? Plato was convinced that it was the state. Locke insisted onthe family. Mill, from his own hard-won experience, was convinced that theindividual should have more influence than the family. Of course, childrenhad to be compelled to learn basics; otherwise their freedom would be re-duced. John Locke lived in a time of growing capital formation. He defendedthe right of ownership as a fundamental human right. According to him, itfollowed from the right to life. Property was created through work, and workwas a way of using life. Parents had to have the decisive influence on educa-tion. They needed to be convinced that their heirs would manage their inher-itance in a responsible way. Locke is regarded as a father of democracy. How-ever, it can hardly be claimed that he was a promoter of democracy in educa-tion. His defence of private property led him to ascribe so much power overeducation to parents that individual rights were substantially curtailed.