Should Marx and Engels be required reading in high school?

[Union Of Canadorian Socialists Republic]

No, it should not be required. Just like reading Adam Smith should not be required.
There is no reason why schools should force Marx on students, because if we do that, we would have to force the writings of; Lenin, Mao, Malthus, Mussolini, Hitler, Smith, etc....

[Divair]

No, it should not be required. Just like reading Adam Smith should not be required.
There is no reason why schools should force Marx on students, because if we do that, we would have to force the writings of; Lenin, Mao, Malthus, Mussolini, Hitler, Smith, etc....

So? They've had huge impacts on the world. They should be studied.

[Union Of Canadorian Socialists Republic]

So? They've had huge impacts on the world. They should be studied.

Then study the impact they made, not the writing itself. There is not enough time in the school year to go over that much information.

[Divair]

So? They've had huge impacts on the world. They should be studied.

Then study the impact they made, not the writing itself. There is not enough time in the school year to go over that much information.

Yes there is.

[The Parkus Empire]

No, it should not be required. Just like reading Adam Smith should not be required.
There is no reason why schools should force Marx on students, because if we do that, we would have to force the writings of; Lenin, Mao, Malthus, Mussolini, Hitler, Smith, etc....

Most of those writings are not scientific in methodology. Adam Smith is, though, if you want to make an argument for making some of his writings required.

[Union Of Canadorian Socialists Republic]

Then study the impact they made, not the writing itself. There is not enough time in the school year to go over that much information.

Yes there is.

Who would enact this requirement? The feds?

[Divair]

Yes there is.

Who would enact this requirement? The feds?

Sure.

[Union Of Canadorian Socialists Republic]

Who would enact this requirement? The feds?

Sure.

I am not quite sure if the federal government could legally mandate educational standards.

[Divair]

Sure.

I am not quite sure if the federal government could legally mandate educational standards.

It can.

[Union Of Canadorian Socialists Republic]

I am not quite sure if the federal government could legally mandate educational standards.

It can.

You sure? According to the Constitution, it Cannot.
The only impact the feds seem to have on education is funding.http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elementary_and_Secondary_Education_Act

[Mefpan]

It can.

You sure? According to the Constitution, it Cannot.
The only impact the feds seem to have on education is funding.

Perhaps this is a sign that something about the Constitution needs to change.

[Divair]

It can.

You sure? According to the Constitution, it Cannot.
The only impact the feds seem to have on education is funding.

I'm sure. How else would the ban on creationism be enforced on states? Magic?

[Ordenburg]

Required reading, well, not exactly. I know that in my high school world history classes we studied many of the earlier economic theories, read excerpts from the works of Smith, Marx, Engels and many more, though we were never required to read an entire work as it would take too long to cover the material in the time allotted for the subject.

Though possibly it could be part of an elective course on economic theories, that could require the reading during the term of one of the works by various modern and historical theorists and have a term project on it, this of course while studying them through out the year and learning about the other works be other peoples presentations in the end.

So don't require it as a whole, but for a specified class and encourage people to take the class. I think this would be a good solution.

[Union Of Canadorian Socialists Republic]

You sure? According to the Constitution, it Cannot.
The only impact the feds seem to have on education is funding.

I'm sure. How else would the ban on creationism be enforced on states? Magic?

See the link above.

[Union Of Canadorian Socialists Republic]

You sure? According to the Constitution, it Cannot.
The only impact the feds seem to have on education is funding.

I'm sure. How else would the ban on creationism be enforced on states? Magic?

See the link above.

[Divair]

I'm sure. How else would the ban on creationism be enforced on states? Magic?

See the link above.

I'm well aware that the federal government cannot enforce a single, over-arching curriculum. But it can enforce standards and bans.

[The Parkus Empire]

It can.

You sure? According to the Constitution, it Cannot.
The only impact the feds seem to have on education is funding.http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elementary_and_Secondary_Education_Act

Which is pretty big. Why do you think every single state has a minimum drinking age of 21?

[Indira]

Yes. But in equal terms, they should also read other philosophical and political texts

[The Parkus Empire]

Yes. But in equal terms, they should also read other philosophical and political texts

Other philosophical texts can only be considered of similar classification where they use scientific method; The Prince, for example, although even that is more of a dogmatic work.

[Ordenburg]

Yes. But in equal terms, they should also read other philosophical and political texts

I agree with you on that, but if you look at my post above, I would not recommend it as required school wide but for a class on the subject and just encourage everyone to take it. I mean where I went to school we were assigned reading over the summer, this was mandatory for English writing/literature classes, which are a graduation requirement, but to do the same for other books is unnecessary.

I'm not saying I'm against it, but it would be a better solution.

[The New World Oceania]

Generally, philosophy of all kinds should be taught in secondary schools. Granted, a lot of things should be taught to the public, but considering that below-standard is presumed to be average, a lot of things which should be taught aren't going to be taught until higher education (the fact that private institutions can teach more than public schools is ironic, brought up in a thread on educating students about Marxism).

I am not quite sure if the federal government could legally mandate educational standards.

It can.

Yes, but they fucking suck at doing so.

[Franklin Delano Bluth]

He wrote a critique of the global economy and a decidedly non-Western-centric way to understand history, and he did it in a relatively objective and self-critical manner.

I dunno what your criteria for "art" is, but his work was definitely a work that stands out as an accomplishment.

He started communism.

No, he didn't.

Y'know, that failure that only works for the elite of China?

You mean capitalism?

Is not knowing what you're talking about a badge of pride for you or something?

[Wind in the Willows]

No.

[Franklin Delano Bluth]

Only if Mein Kampf and The Doctrine of Fascism are as well.

Yep. Fun fact: Nazi as an abbreviation of the German words "national socialist". Nazis aren't right wing, they're left wing.

No, they're right-wing.

And "Liberal" spawned from "Liberty", which is a far more right-wing concept.

Yeah, except not. Again, is not knowing what you're talking about a badge of pride for you? I'm beginning to suspect that it is, given how proudly you wear it.

After all, taking cash by force from Joe Salaryman to support Fred Never-do-well (as the left is wont to do) is infringement on Joe's liberty, rather than supporting liberty.

You're assuming that it's rightfully the first person's to begin with; but if you didn't hate freedom so much, you'd know that it isn't.

Why do you hate freedom so much, by the way? Is it because the authoritarian ruling class promised you a boon in exchange for your loyal and slavish service?

[Franklin Delano Bluth]

Ah, so you're a troll, huh? You do know that Hitler's greatest political opponents were the SPD (social-democrats) and the KPD (communists)?

Communists...are in favor of complete loyalty to the state and totalitarianism.

Well, now I have a definite answer: it is indeed a badge of pride to you, to not have the slightest fucking clue what you're talking about.