Funding the Rise of Mass Schooling

"This is a remarkably interesting book about the social and cultural entanglements of school finance in 19th century Sweden. Westberg presents a compelling argument for the economic basis of the rise of primary schools, restoring the complexity of educational finance as a social and cultural dimension beyond reductionist approaches. His informed, inspirational and persuasive analysis documents the efforts related to the funding of mass schooling as it emerged; one wonders how we could make comprehensive arguments about the social dynamics of mass schooling in the 19th century before this book." (Marcelo Caruso, Professor in History of Education, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany) "This rich empirical study of everyday practices of school funding in the 19th century provides a fascinating window onto the meaning and importance of schools as community institutions in a transforming economy. It also brings new perspective to understanding the expansion of mass schooling internationally. Finally, Westberg's study helps us appreciate the creativity and calculation of ordinary families. It is insightful, smart, and humane." (Nancy Beadie, Historian of Education, Professor at University of Washington and Senior Editor of History of Education Quarterly)

This book presents expert analysis on how the remarkable rise of mass schooling was funded during the nineteenth century. Based on rich source materials from rural Swedish school districts, and drawing up evidence from schooling in countries including France, Germany, England and the U.S., Westberg examines the moral considerations that guided economic practices and sheds new light on how the advent of schooling did not only rest upon monies, but also on grains, firewood and cow fodder. Exploring school districts’ motives and economic culture, this book shows how schooling was neither primarily guided by frugal impulses nor motivated by a fear of the growing working classes. Instead, school spending served multiple purposes in school districts that pursued a fair and reasonable economic practice.

In addition to being a highly-detailed case study of Sweden 1840 – 1900 this book also entails a broadening of the theoretical horizon of history of education into social, agrarian and economic history in a wider context.  With a focus on different systems of school finance, this work reveals a key change over time: from a largely in-kind system supporting schools in an early phase, followed by an increasingly monetarized, depersonalized and homogenized system of school finance. Boasting an interdisciplinary appeal, this will be a welcome contribution of interest to scholars in the fields of education history, sociology, and economics.