ABSTRACT
In1950,(Sir)CyrilBurtspokeforasizeablebodyof opinionwhenhestated,withadisarminglackof self-consciousness:
Obviously,inanidealcommunity,ouraim shouldbetodiscoverwhatrationof intelligenceNaturehasgiventoeach individualchildatbirth,thentoprovide himwiththeappropriateeducation,and finallytoguidehimintothecareerfor whichheseemstohavebeenmarkedout. 1
Thetechniquesfordiscoverylaycloseathand: 'intelligence'or'I.Q.'tests.The1938EnglishSpens Report,whichproposedthetripartitedivisionofschooling intogrammar,technicalandmodern(shadesofPlato's Republic!),observedthat'withfewexceptions,itis possibleataveryearlyagetopredictwithsomedegreeof accuracytheultimatelevelofachild'sintellectual powers'.2Growingpublicawarenessof'environmental disadvantages'andtheirprobableeffects,coupledwith scepticismaboutthevalidityoftheteststhemselves,has ledtoadecreasedrelianceupontheirresults.However, theeconomicandpoliticalclimateofthepastdecadehas provedfertilegroundforthereassertionofearlierviews, albeitinamoresophisticatedform.IntheUnitedStates, inparticular,theargumentfrom'nature'hasbeenapplied inthecontextof'racial'differences,whereithas functionedtogivesomerespectabilitytothedeeply ingrainedracialprejudiceofmanywhiteAmericans.
