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ABSTRACT
Arthur Seldon (1916–2005) was a significant British neo-liberal economist in the second half of the twentieth century. From 1957 to 1988, as the “engine room” of the Institute of Economic Affairs, Seldon had been advocating the reform of “free” state education. He vigorously argued for education vouchers, by which each parent could be provided with purchasing power and school choice. From the mid-1960s, his ideas gradually attracted the attention of the Conservatives and contributed to the rise of the New Right and Thatcherism in the 1980s. Despite this, previous literature seldom explores Seldon’s work in relation to education in greater depth. To fill the lacuna, this paper aims to provide a deeper understanding of Seldon’s neo-liberal ideas about education and his approaches in promoting reform agenda.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes
1. Robinson, Seldon: A Life for Liberty, 57.
2. Kavanagh, “Obituary,” 167.
3. Harris, Seldon and Erickson, “Conversation,” 36.
4. Robinson, Seldon: A Life for Liberty, 64–5.
5. Harris, Seldon and Erickson, “Conversation,” 57.
6. For example, Chitty, Towards a New Education System; Griggs, “New Right”; Knight, Making of Tory Education Policy; Maclure, Education: Re-formed; Barry, New Right; Denham, Think-Tanks of the New Right.
7. Robinson, Seldon: A Life for Liberty, 144.
8. Jackson, “Intellectual Histories,” 56.
9. Desai, “Second-Hand Dealers,” 29, 45–50.
10. Shearmur, “Lunching for Liberty,” 84.
11. Jackson, “Think-Tank Archipelago,” 43–61.
12. Robinson, Seldon: A Life for Liberty, 15–16.
13. Ibid., 21–4; Harris, Seldon and Erickson, “Conversation,” 33.
14. Arthur Seldon to Colin Robinson, March 15, 1994, IEA papers, box 443, folder 5.
15. Seldon, “State v. the Market,” 5.
16. Seldon, “Citizenship – The Cul-de-Sac,” 30. For more details about the debate between Seldon and Titmuss on “universal” versus “selective” welfare, see Jackson, “Richard Titmuss,” 147–61.
17. Seldon, “Reluctant Crutch,” 3.
18. Ibid.
19. Seldon, “Social Services in the Late Twentieth Century,” 119–26.
20. Ibid., 121.
21. Ibid.
22. Ibid.
23. Ibid., 122.
24. Ibid.
25. Ibid., 123.
26. Ibid., 124.
27. Seldon, “Welfare: The Role, 2,” 969–70.
28. Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 335.
29. Seldon, “Education for Democrats,” 108.
30. Cockett, Thinking the Unthinkable, 143.
31. Seldon, “Social Services for the Future,” 129.
32. Ibid.
33. Harris and Seldon, “Welfare and Choice,” 14–16. The IEA’s reports of five studies were published in 1963, 1965, 1970, 1978 and 1987.
34. Harris and Seldon, “Welfare and Choice,” 15–16.
35. Ibid., 16.
36. Seldon, “Shop with Welfare Vouchers,” 165.
37. Harris and Seldon, “Offering a Choice by Voucher,” 13.
38. Harris and Seldon, “Self-Help Growing in Popularity,” 13.
39. Seldon, “Welfare and the Economy”; Seldon, “Taxing State Benefits.”
40. Seldon, “Crisis in the Welfare State,” 64.
41. Seldon, “Which Way to Welfare?” 9.
42. Ibid.
43. Seldon, “Welfare by Choice,” 165–6.
44. Ibid., 167.
45. Public Schools Commission, First Report, vii.
46. Seldon and Seldon, “How Welfare Vouchers Work,” 28.
47. “Strengthening Independent Education.”
48. Seldon, “Roll Back the State,” 197, 199.
49. Harris, Seldon and Erickson, “Conversation,” 32.
50. Seldon, “Politics Looms too Large,” 180.
51. Harris, Seldon and Erickson, “Conversation,” 50.
52. Erickson, “Theme of the Conversation,” 20; Harrison, “Mrs Thatcher and the Intellectuals,” 209.
53. Jackson, “Currents of Neo-Liberalism,” 832; Seldon, “Welfare and the Economy.”
54. Seldon and Seldon, “How Welfare Vouchers Work,” 27.
55. Seldon, “Welfare and the Economy.”
56. Ibid.
57. Seldon, “Economic Strategy 1970–1974/5.”
58. Ibid.
59. Ibid.
60. Gordon, Aldrich and Dean, Education and Policy, 193.
61. Seldon, “Individual Authority.”
62. Arthur Seldon to Keith Joseph, August 7, 1970, IEA papers, box 333, folder 5.
63. Seldon, “Next Step in Social Policy.”
64. Ibid.
65. William Deedes to Arthur Seldon, January 17, 1971, IEA papers, box 329, folder 3; Arthur Seldon, “Self-Help and the State.”
66. Seldon, “Tory Advance: Reluctant Officials,” 211.
67. Simon, Education, 415.
68. Ibid.
69. Ibid., 212.
70. Seldon, “Thaw in the Welfare State,” 19.
71. Seldon, “Timid Tories and State Welfare,” 218.
72. Seldon, “Vote Motive,” 249–50.
73. Seldon, “Timid Tories and State Welfare,” 218.
74. Knight, Making of Tory Education Policy, 75.
75. Harris, Seldon and Erickson, “Conversation,” 51.
76. Harris, “Memo to John Wood and Arthur Seldon.”
77. Kavanagh, “Obituary,” 164.
78. Seldon, “Ideas and Action,” 38.
79. Harris, “Major Issues Omitted.”
80. Ralph Harris to Keith Joseph, January 13, 1975, IEA papers, box 295, folder 12.
81. Ibid.
82. Peden, British Economic and Social Policy, 196.
83. Jones, Education in Britain, 101.
84. Arthur Seldon to George A. Gardiner (Conservative Centre Office), December 8, 1975, IEA papers, box 348, folder 13.
85. St John-Stevas, Standards and Freedom, 10–1.
86. Seldon, “Vouchers to Restore.”
87. Ibid.
88. Seldon, “Who Will Rid Us?” 50.
89. Boyson, “Developing Case,” 27–8; Chitty, Towards a New Education System, 181–2.
90. Seldon, “Charge,” 279.
91. Ibid.; Arthur Seldon to Ralph Harris, “Some Background on Marjorie Seldon,” March 1984, IEA papers, box 336, folder 1.
92. Robinson, Seldon: A Life for Liberty, 88.
93. Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 393.
94. Harris and Seldon, Pricing or Taxing? 67.
95. Ibid., 3.
96. Ibid., 1.
97. Ibid., 31.
98. Ibid., 47.
99. Bonner, “Case Against,” 27.
100. Harris and Seldon, Pricing or Taxing? 69.
101. Ibid., 83.
102. Ibid., 97.
103. Seldon, “Layfield,” 98–9; Arthur Seldon to David Peschek (editor of Municipal Review), June 9, 1976, IEA papers, box 348, folder 17.
104. Seldon, “Remove the Financing Flaw,” 89.
105. Burnet, “Spies in the Night?” 69.
106. Seldon, “Note on The Jimmy Young (from the BBC) Tea”; Seldon, “Note on Daily Mirror Lunch”; Seldon, “Note on News of the World Lunch”; Seldon, “Note on The Sun Lunch”; Seldon, “Note on Daily Mail Lunch”; Seldon, “Note on The Daily Express Lunch”; Arthur Seldon to Robert Pinnington, editor of The Sunday People, April 22, 1977; Arthur Seldon to Robert J. Edwards, editor of The Sunday Mirror, April 22, 1977.
107. Arthur Seldon to Ivor F. Pearce, February 21, 1977, IEA papers, box 329, folder 2.
108. Seldon, “Note on Education Lunch.”
109. Seldon, “Note on Liberal Lunch.”
110. Arthur Seldon to Ronald Banks, Jo Grimond, Emlyn Hooson, Richard Lamb, John Pardoe, Alan Peacock, Richard Wainwright, March 31, 1978, IEA papers, box 329, folder 1.
111. Seldon, “Charge,” 108.
112. Ibid., 152.
113. Ibid.
114. George Jones to Arthur Seldon, February 9, 1978, IEA papers, box 329, folder 1.
115. Ibid.
116. Ibid.
117. Ibid.
118. Arthur Seldon, notes in the margin of the letter, George Jones to Arthur Seldon, February 9, 1978, IEA papers, box 329, folder 1.
119. Seldon, “Note on Social Democratic Lunch,” April 1977.
120. Arthur Seldon to Douglas Eden, April 22, 1977, IEA papers, box 329, folder 2.
121. Arthur Seldon to George Jones, February 14, 1978, IEA papers, box 329, folder 1.
122. Ibid.
123. Arthur Seldon to John Barnes, February 24, 1978, IEA papers, box 329, folder 1.
124. Arthur Seldon to John Burton, George Jones, Ken Judge, Eric Midwinter, [February 23–March 28, 1978?], IEA papers, box 329, folder 1.
125. Seldon, draft letter to the editor, The Times.
126. Ibid.
127. Arthur Seldon to Ken Judge, Albert Weale and George Jones [May 1978?], IEA papers, box 376, folder 1.
128. Arthur Seldon to Sir William McEwan Younger, May 10, 1978, IEA papers, box 329, folder 5.
129. Seldon, “Let Parents Really Choose,” 18.
130. National Union of Teachers, Case against Education Vouchers, 4.
131. Ibid.
132. Ibid., 5.
133. Hansard, “Voucher Schemes.”
134. Fairhall, “Tories Back Away,” 32.
135. Seldon, “Education Vouchers,” 20.
136. Ibid.
137. Department of Education and Science (DES), Education Bill, clauses 6–7.
138. Ibid., clause 9.
139. Seldon, “How Long?”
140. Seldon, “Change by Degree,” 12.
141. Arthur Seldon to Keith Joseph, April 3, 1979, IEA papers, box 333, folder 6.
142. Ibid.
143. Simon, Education, 479.
144. Seldon and Seldon, “Bigger Cuts … Better Schools,” 4.
145. Ibid.
146. Ibid.; Simon, Education, 474–5.
147. DES, Education Act 1980, clauses 17, 18; Edwards, Fitz and Whitty, State and Private Education, 2.
148. Seldon and Seldon, “Bigger Cuts … Better Schools,” 4.
149. Ibid.
150. Seldon, “Price of Local Democracy,” 18.
151. Seldon, “Cut Now – and Cut Boldly,” 10.
152. Seldon, “Government of the Busy,” 257; Seldon, “Note on ‘FEVER Deputation.’ ”
153. Seldon, “Government of the Busy,” 257; Lawton, Tory Mind, 48.
154. Seldon, “Government of the Busy,” 257.
155. Ibid.
156. Ibid.
157. Seldon, “Wither the Welfare State,” 254.
158. Ibid.
159. Arthur Seldon to Morrison Halcrow, Daily Telegraph, December 15, 1980: IEA papers, box 358, folder 8; Seldon, “Why the Government Has Faltered.”
160. Seldon, “Why the Government Has Faltered.”
161. [Seldon?], “Seven Year Escape,” 130.
162. Seldon, “Now, a Seven Year Plan,” 55.
163. Ibid.
164. Seldon, “Social Democrats.”
165. Ibid.
166. Seldon, “SDP,” 18.
167. A draft letter from Arthur Seldon to Keith Joseph [1981?], IEA papers, box 333, folder 6.
168. [Seldon?], “General Thatcher’s Unenlisted Army,” 65.
169. Keith Joseph to chairman of FEVER (Marjorie Seldon), December 16, 1981, in Robinson, Introducing Market Forces, 357.
170. DES, “Department of Education Memorandum,” 359.
171. Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 342–3.
172. DES, “Department of Education Memorandum,” 359.
173. Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 344.
174. DES, “Department of Education Memorandum,” 360.
175. Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 345.
176. DES, “Department of Education Memorandum,” 360–1.
177. Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 346.
178. DES, “Department of Education Memorandum,” 361.
179. Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 346–7.
180. DES, “Department of Education Memorandum,” 360.
181. Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 347.
182. DES, “Department of Education Memorandum,” 362.
183. Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 348.
184. DES, “Department of Education Memorandum,” 363.
185. Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 348.
186. DES, “Department of Education Memorandum,” 363.
187. Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 349.
188. DES, “Department of Education Memorandum,” 364.
189. Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 350.
190. Seldon, “Round the World.”
191. Ibid.; Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 336.
192. Seldon, “Round the World.”
193. Ibid.
194. Ibid.
195. Ibid. See also Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 337.
196. West, “Education Vouchers,”15–6.
197. Seldon, “West on Vouchers,” 45.
198. Seldon, “Programme.”
199. Callaghan, “Believers,” 373.
200. “Minutes of the Fifth Meeting.”
201. Conservative Party, Conservative Manifesto 1983, 29.
202. Knight, Making of Tory Education Policy, 157–8.
203. Seldon and Seldon, “Vouchsafing Education,” 11.
204. Jackson, “Currents of Neo-Liberalism,” 834.
205. Green, New Right, 158.
206. Seldon, “Education Voucher is Dead,” 49.
207. Callaghan, “Believers,” 373; Chitty, Towards a New Education System, 185; Lawton, Tory Mind, 54.
208. Callaghan, Conservative Party Education Policies, 47–8.
209. Green, New Right, 161.
210. Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 389. See also Seldon, “Ideas and Action,” 39.
211. “Keith Joseph with Clyde Chitty,” 82–3.
212. Seldon, “Essence of the IEA,” 6.
213. Seldon, “Riddle of the Voucher,” 394.
214. Ibid., 398–9.
215. Ibid., 415.
216. [Seldon?], “Where Lies Hope?”, 2.
217. Ibid.
218. Ibid.
219. Arthur Seldon to Alan Howarth, July 4, 1986, IEA papers, box 370, folder 2; Seldon and Seldon, “Education Vouchers.”
220. Denham, Think-Tanks of the New Right, chapter 5.
221. Seldon, “Publications Programme.”
222. DES, Grant Maintained Schools.
223. Ibid.
224. Harris and Seldon, Welfare without the State, 1.
225. Ibid., 48–51.
226. DES, Education Reform Bill, 40, clause 44.
227. Ibid., 42, clause 46.
228. Seldon, “New Left,” 271.
229. DES, Education Reform Act 1988, 58, clause 61.
230. Maclure, Education: Re-formed, 46–7.
231. Johnson, “Thatcherism and English Education,” 110.
232. Thatcher, Downing Street Years, 591.
233. Seldon, “Political Bar,” 236.
234. Ibid., 236–7.
235. Cockett, Thinking the Unthinkable, 309; Jones, Education in Britain, 75.
236. Jackson, “Intellectual Histories,” 60.
237. Ibid., 62.
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Hsiao-Yuh Ku
Hsiao-Yuh Ku is currently working as an associate professor at the Graduate Institute of Education, National Chung Cheng University in Taiwan. Her research interest is the English history of education, particularly focusing on educational reforms in the twentieth century. Her recent publication is a co-authored book, Brian Simon and the Struggle for Education.