ABSTRACT
Just as the idea of the state is one of the more puzzling and controversial areas in Marx’s political theory generally, so too the idea of state education is the aspect of his educational thought which presents us with most ambiguities and unresolved problems. Marx himself was aware of this, for his attempts to set out practical proposals for educational reform all show a concern to come to grips with the problem of the role of the state. His ideas on the subject, however, vary strikingly. At times a seeming defender of state control, he at other times shifts to a position almost approaching an anarchist attitude. One main reason for these shifts is the fact that Marx was very often a polemical writer, engaged in struggles for control of the socialist movement, and ready to use whatever weapons might come to hand in order to attack a rival viewpoint. But another reason is his desire to follow a middle course opposing views standing at several extremes – a difficult task in any case, and all the more difficult within such a context. If we cannot credit Marx with a satisfactory solution to the problem, we can at least appreciate his difficulties.
Marx as a Hegelian Liberal
