Reclaiming Classical Education

In response to these challenges, the Learning Research Institute of MCC presented its new volume Reclaiming Classical Education in Warsaw. The book, edited by Joanna Williams and Richárd Fodor, brings together the contributions of 16 European and American authors.

Through the studies included in the volume, readers gain insight into the dilemmas of nation-states, social justice, and classical education. The authors shed light from various perspectives on the current challenges facing Western education systems, and on how education can help preserve society’s core values and ensure cultural continuity.

The book is divided into four major thematic units. The first two sections explore the philosophical foundations and historical roots of classical education, emphasizing the importance of classical disciplines, including history teaching and civic education. The second half of the volume includes writings that address current challenges and threats, as well as the practical implementation of classical education. This review highlights five of these studies in more detail.

Nicholas Tate – Education and the Nation StateTate examines the changing roles of the nation, nation-state, and education in 21st-century Western countries. The nation-state has been challenged by several achievements of the modern world, including cultural and economic globalization. While the former questions national identity, the latter reduces state sovereignty. Tate not only identifies these challenges but also seeks to understand the contemporary role of the nation-state, pointing to shared language, culture, history, security, and a sense of community. He emphasizes that education is crucial in transmitting these values to the younger generation—contributing to the survival of both society and the state. However, he stresses that this must not mean isolating students from global knowledge; rather, national values should complement global awareness. He warns against political or ideological indoctrination, arguing that identity politics weakens nation-states by focusing on differences instead of strengthening social cohesion, which leads to division.

Joanna Williams – Education versus Indoctrination: Challenging the Politicisation of SchoolingWilliams argues that traditional knowledge-based education has shifted in many Western European curricula toward promoting social justice and specific moral values. This shift has redefined the purpose of education: instead of transmitting neutral knowledge and enabling students to form their own conclusions, it aims to shape students’ attitudes and behaviors on specific issues. As a result, teachers often present an idealized version of the world that may not prepare students for reality.

Schools have become a new arena for political life, as several governments seek to address current social problems through direct indoctrination of the younger generation. New subjects, changes in traditional curricula, and the expectation of activist roles from teachers all serve this agenda. These developments reduce the freedom necessary for forming independent, knowledge-based worldviews. A revival of knowledge-based education, Williams argues, would foster responsibility, creativity, and a freer, more diverse society.

Joanna Williams – Decline of Classical Education and the Crisis of SocialisationIn this study, Williams places her argument in a broader context by examining how the decline of classical education contributes to a growing social and cultural crisis. The shift in educational goals causes confusion in foundational values and deepens the sense of alienation in society. Adult authority weakens, and with it, the foundational role of the family in socialization.

Families represent the first step in integrating children into society. Over time, schools complement this role by introducing students to the broader virtues of the world. One way of doing this is through classical education, which offers a coherent worldview through its knowledge base and the transmission of Western values (e.g., democracy, tradition, freedom of speech). However, historical alienation in curricula—focusing on the past wrongs of Western states rather than their achievements—leads to the younger generation becoming estranged from their own countries. This, in turn, weakens social cohesion.

Schools that replace national values with ideological views also undermine parental authority. Reverse socialization emerges, where children are encouraged to teach their parents new values (e.g., recycling, gender identity), which gradually erodes the institution of the family—one of the foundations of society.

Stuart Waiton – A Year of the Scottish Union for EducationScotland is a key example of the West’s educational shift. As Waiton explains, knowledge-based education in Scotland has also given way to social justice goals and political content. The GTCS (General Teaching Council for Scotland) mandates the teaching of sustainability, inclusion, and social justice instead of prioritizing knowledge and academic excellence. Universities are now expected to include the values of equality, diversity, and inclusion in their programs, thereby limiting academic freedom.

Schools have become tools for promoting government-endorsed forms of social justice, and teachers are expected to act as activists for these values. The current educational content is ideologically one-sided, placing pressure on teachers and limiting their choices. The student experience is also affected: the line between childhood and adulthood is blurred as school curricula increasingly include topics related to politics, sexuality, and social issues—often inappropriate for the targeted age groups. According to Waiton, abandoning classical education has contributed to the gradual decline in academic performance over the past decade and a half.

Filip Ludwin – Classical Education at Collegium Intermarium University, WarsawFilip Ludwin presents the enriching effects of integrating classical education into legal training. He argues that this enhances both intellectual and professional skills, and its broader application would benefit legal education. The program at Collegium Intermarium aims to counter the trend of moving away from Latin heritage, emphasizing that classical knowledge forms the foundation of Western civilization.

By adapting Latin cultural heritage to modern needs, the program offers students a deeper cultural literacy. Future lawyers gain a more comprehensive understanding of legal science through exposure to its historical, philosophical, and cultural contexts. Elements of classical education—such as rhetoric, logic, debate skills, and language learning—are essential for developing cultured and competent professionals.

The studies discussed in this volume underscore the central importance of the nation-state and the preservation of traditional values in education amidst global social challenges. Classical, knowledge-based education offers not only professional but also cultural and moral foundations for future generations. The over-politicization of schools and ideological teaching may undermine students’ critical thinking and their ability to form independent opinions. Reclaiming classical education means returning to an approach that cultivates intellect, values, and a deeper understanding of our shared heritage.

[1] Joanna Williams, Education versus indoctrination: challenging the politicisation of schooling [2] Az alapvető tudományos akadémiai diszciplínák koncentrált tanulása: történelem, irodalom, természettudományok és matematika. [3] Joanna Williams, The Decline of Classical Education and the Crisis of Socialisatio, with expanded sections on each argument, supporting evidence, and implications. [4] Stuart Waiton, A Year of the Scottish Union for Education [5] Filip Ludwin, Classical Education at Collegium Intermarium University, Warsaw, Poland