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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 December 2008
Of all state social provisions, education is among the most important. It also shows the greatest amount of variation among Western industrial nations. England and the United States, countries with many common intellectual and governmental traditions, with longstanding commitments to individualism and democratic forms of government, exhibit great disparity in education. Even today, the United States is by far the leader in the field of mass education while England occupies a position in the bottom ranks.
An earlier version of this paper was delivered to the Social Science History Association meeting, Washington D. C, November 1989. Thanks to Michael Katz, George Steinmetz, Ira Katznelson, Daniel Marien, Pat Thane, and the participants in the New School for Social Research Proseminar on State Formation and Collective Action for their helpful comments. The census information on Pittsburgh was gathered with the assistance of Jason Ralston.
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