The education revolution on horseback I : The relation between Napoleon Bonaparte and education system characteristics

In: Korthals , R A 2016 ' The education revolution on horseback I : The relation between Napoleon Bonaparte and education system characteristics ' Maastricht University, Graduate School of Business and Economics , Maastricht . https://doi.org/10.26481/umagsb.2016014

Abstract

Much research has been done into the emergence of mass education systems, primarily by studying the social origin of the education system, the introduction of compulsory schooling laws, or the expansion of enrolment rates. However, little is known about the origin of the characteristics of these newly formed systems. Ramirez and Boli (1987) argue that the threat for war with and invasion by the French around the 1800s induced European countries to introduce mass public education systems. This paper empirically establishes whether political pressure from Napoleon is related to the levels of differentiation and standardization of European education systems. I find that the political pressure from France is related to differentiation, but less to standardization of the content of instruction, and not at all to the existence of central exam and administrative standardization.