ABSTRACT

Throughout much of its history the education of adults has been located within civil society, although in many countries in the twentieth century it has become a matter of state policy. In some countries aspects of state involvement in vocational education was very early. For instance, in Britain, the state was involved in vocational education from the Elizabethan period, when there was enacted a Statute of Apprentices and Artificers, but later the state was to disengage from its educational involvement (P.Keane, 1988). In a few countries liberal adult education became a matter of state concern earlier than the twentieth century; for instance this occurred in Denmark as early as 1812. But in England, despite its early involvement in vocational education, the nineteenth century was largely one of laissez faire in accordance with the policies advocated by Adam Smith, among others.