ABSTRACT
The central role of schooling in the modern nation-state was predicted by Max Stirner (1806-1856), whose phrase “wheels in the head” serves as the title of this book. Stirner warned that controlling dissemination of ideas through schools was fast becoming central to the governing processes of modern nation-states. This warning occurred as Western nations were establishing public school systems. Stirner might have been surprised that the Western form of public schools would eventually be globalized. Also, he did not know that new forms of media and information technology, such as movies, radio, television, and the Internet, would develop to compete with schools in disseminating ideas.
