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Flow of Ideas: articles - Education White Paper

A Capital Friendly Culture for Further EducationA Capital Friendly Culture for Further Education
Academy ChainsAcademy Chains
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Brown PFI MonsterBrown PFI Monster
Business Sponsorship of SchoolsBusiness Sponsorship of Schools
Business Takeover of Further EducationBusiness Takeover of Further Education
Cambridge University OccupationCambridge University Occupation
Caught in the Storm of CapitalCaught in the Storm of Capital
Co-payment in Hospitals and SchoolsCo-payment in Hospitals and Schools
Cold Hands and Quarter MoonCold Hands and Quarter Moon
Communitarianism for SchoolsCommunitarianism for Schools
Compulsory Consumption and Uni-NannyCompulsory Consumption and Uni-Nanny
Conforming Schools Conforming KidsConforming Schools Conforming Kids
Copy/South DossierCopy/South Dossier
Creating MonstersCreating Monsters
Creeping Privatisation in Higher EducationCreeping Privatisation in Higher Education
Critical MassCritical Mass
Critical Pedagogy and CapitalismCritical Pedagogy and Capitalism
Critical Space in EducationCritical Space in Education
Delivering E-LearningDelivering E-Learning
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DistillationDistillation
Dorothy L. SayersDorothy L. Sayers
Douglas Kennedy: best-selling novelistDouglas Kennedy: best-selling novelist
E-learning for Free at the BBCE-learning for Free at the BBC
Edison Schools in the UKEdison Schools in the UK
Education and Inspections Bill (2006)Education and Inspections Bill (2006)
Education As Culture MachineEducation As Culture Machine
Education FireworksEducation Fireworks
Education for DebtEducation for Debt
Education IncorporatedEducation Incorporated
Education Markets and Missing ProductsEducation Markets and Missing Products
Education RepetitionEducation Repetition
Education the HSBC WayEducation the HSBC Way
Education White PaperEducation White Paper
Education, Globalisation and the Learning SocietyEducation, Globalisation and the Learning Society
Employers and School LeaversEmployers and School Leavers
Evaluating Different Teaching MethodsEvaluating Different Teaching Methods
Everything Louder Than Everything ElseEverything Louder Than Everything Else
Finance and FearFinance and Fear
Five Endings of DesiresFive Endings of Desires
Foibles, Frolics and PhantasmsFoibles, Frolics and Phantasms
FreedomFreedom
FreewillFreewill
French New Wave CinemaFrench New Wave Cinema
Full Report Ruth Rikowski[a]s Book Launch for Globalisation, Information and LibrariesFull Report Ruth Rikowski's Book Launch for Globalisation, Information and Libraries
Gender and Spokesperson in Group Work IssuesGender and Spokesperson in Group Work Issues
Global TradingGlobal Trading
Globalisation and Education RevisitedGlobalisation and Education Revisited
Habituation of the NationHabituation of the Nation
Higher Education and Confused Employer SyndromeHigher Education and Confused Employer Syndrome
Hitchcock: classic auteurHitchcock: classic auteur
Human capital, the knowledge economy and businessHuman capital, the knowledge economy and business
In Retro GlideIn Retro Glide
In the Dentist[a]s ChairIn the Dentist's Chair
Kids in the Land of No DreamsKids in the Land of No Dreams
KM CritiqueKM Critique
Lazy Brit KidsLazy Brit Kids
Learning in the Earthworks of CapitalLearning in the Earthworks of Capital
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Learning to the MaxLearning to the Max
Librarianship and Human RightsLibrarianship and Human Rights
Lifelong Learning and the Political Economy of ContainmentLifelong Learning and the Political Economy of Containment
LSBU StrategyLSBU Strategy
Marketisation of the Schools System in EnglandMarketisation of the Schools System in England
Marx and Education RevisitedMarx and Education Revisited
Marx and the Future of the HumanMarx and the Future of the Human
Marxism and Education RevisitedMarxism and Education Revisited
Marxist Educational Theory UnpluggedMarxist Educational Theory Unplugged
Maturity and FreedomMaturity and Freedom
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Michele RobertsMichele Roberts
Miss Allison and Novel WritingMiss Allison and Novel Writing
Moneythought in Higher EducationMoneythought in Higher Education
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Nietzsche[a]s SchoolNietzsche's School
Nihilism and Educational ValuesNihilism and Educational Values
No Learner Left UnhassledNo Learner Left Unhassled
Notes on the Confessions of John DenhamNotes on the Confessions of John Denham
On Education for Its Own SakeOn Education for Its Own Sake
On Education StudiesOn Education Studies
On the Capitalisation of Schools in EnglandOn the Capitalisation of Schools in England
On Transhumanism and EducationOn Transhumanism and Education
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Outsourcing Public ServicesOutsourcing Public Services
Peter Wilby on School PrivatisationPeter Wilby on School Privatisation
Planet of the CapitorgPlanet of the Capitorg
PlatoPlato
Playgound Risks and Handcuffed KidsPlaygound Risks and Handcuffed Kids
Poems by Gregory RikowskiPoems by Gregory Rikowski
Poems by Victor RikowskiPoems by Victor Rikowski
Post-Fordism and SchoolsPost-Fordism and Schools
Post-Fordism in Primary SchoolsPost-Fordism in Primary Schools
Postmodern Dereliction in the Face of Neoliberal Education PolicyPostmodern Dereliction in the Face of Neoliberal Education Policy
PowerPointlessness in Higher EducationPowerPointlessness in Higher Education
Private Schools as CharitiesPrivate Schools as Charities
Privatisation of Schools in EnglandPrivatisation of Schools in England
Privatisation of Student DebtPrivatisation of Student Debt
Races in the Imperial WarRaces in the Imperial War
Readings for Teaching CourseReadings for Teaching Course
Recruitment and Labour PowerRecruitment and Labour Power
Revealed Recruitment Criteria through the Use-value Aspect of Labour-powerRevealed Recruitment Criteria through the Use-value Aspect of Labour-power
Robotic EthicsRobotic Ethics
Ruth Rikowski Updates (Archives)Ruth Rikowski Updates (Archives)
Ruth Rikowski Updates (Archives)Ruth Rikowski Updates (Archives)
School Fees and the 1944 Education ActSchool Fees and the 1944 Education Act
Schools: Building for BusinessSchools: Building for Business
Science Fiction Films and HorrorScience Fiction Films and Horror
Second Time as FarceSecond Time as Farce
Snowballs and Risk in SchoolsSnowballs and Risk in Schools
Social Contract Theory and Political ObligationsSocial Contract Theory and Political Obligations
Socialism is not DeadSocialism is not Dead
Speed of Life - Part OneSpeed of Life - Part One
Speed of Life - Part TwoSpeed of Life - Part Two
Stroppy Individuals and Oppositional Cultures in SchoolsStroppy Individuals and Oppositional Cultures in Schools
Sustainability Policy at London South Bank UniversitySustainability Policy at London South Bank University
Ten Points on Marx, Class and EducationTen Points on Marx, Class and Education
The Business of Becoming a Business for AcademiesThe Business of Becoming a Business for Academies
The Capitalisation of Schools - Federations and AcademiesThe Capitalisation of Schools - Federations and Academies
The CBI and the Business Takeover of SchoolsThe CBI and the Business Takeover of Schools
The Commodification of EducationThe Commodification of Education
The Education White Paper and the Marketisation of SchoolsThe Education White Paper and the Marketisation of Schools
The Evolution of Federations of SchoolsThe Evolution of Federations of Schools
The Last Parents EveningThe Last Parents Evening
The New Japanisation of SchoolsThe New Japanisation of Schools
The Profit Virus - The Business Takeover of SchoolsThe Profit Virus - The Business Takeover of Schools
The Standards Language-game for Schools in EnglandThe Standards Language-game for Schools in England
The Which Blair ProjectThe Which Blair Project
Three Types of Apprenticeship - Three Forms of MasteryThree Types of Apprenticeship - Three Forms of Mastery
Tony and Caroline BennTony and Caroline Benn
Tony Benn: Letters to GrandchildrenTony Benn: Letters to Grandchildren
TransportTransport
Turney[a]s and PPUTurney's and PPU
Uninspiring TowersUninspiring Towers
Universe of Capital and My SpaceUniverse of Capital and My Space
Universities in a Neoliberal WorldUniversities in a Neoliberal World
Utopia and EducationUtopia and Education
What Can Nietzsche Teach YaWhat Can Nietzsche Teach Ya
When Bullies Roam the SchoolWhen Bullies Roam the School
When the Bowers BreakWhen the Bowers Break
Why Employers Can[a]t Ever Get What They WantWhy Employers Can't Ever Get What They Want
Will Hutton and His E-FossWill Hutton and His E-Foss
Wolf on Marx Without SparksWolf on Marx Without Sparks
Women in World WarsWomen in World Wars






Chandos Book Publishing 		A discussion on ‘The World Tonight’, BBC Radio 4 programme, 25th October 2005, 10.00pm, about the UK Government Education White Paper and links with the GATS, Library Services, Education Services and the extension of the commodification process

Ruth Rikowski


The UK Government Education White Paper came hot off the press on 25th October 2005. Glenn Rikowski has been following, writing about, examining and analysing the trend towards the ‘business takeover of schools’ in the UK for some years now. The Education White Paper witnessed the culmination of this process – some of his worst fears were coming to pass and some of his various predictions were proving to be right! But out of a negative appears a positive – a chance to talk about it all on BBC Radio 4, on the programme The World Tonight! Perhaps, from this, a few people will start to heed his warning, as well as mine, when I refer to the threat that is being posed to our state-funded libraries, and that gradually there will start to be a change in the tide.

‘The business takeover of schools’ – scaremongering talk many would argue. Many say that there is nothing to worry about and that it will not happen anyway. This is what Stephen Timms MP, who at the time was the UK Schools Minister basically said to Glenn Rikowski, when he spoke to him about this topic in relation to the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) in 2002. ‘The business takeover of schools’ – companies moving into schools. Once that has been accomplished, this then paves the way to bring in the GATS, which is an agreement that is being developed at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that I have written extensively about in relation to libraries and information. But it was Glenn Rikowski that first informed me about this, with his little book The Battle in Seattle: its significance for education (2001). The GATS is about the liberalisation of trade in services. So, once elements of commercialisation and privatisation have been introduced, this then paves the way to enable large multinational companies to gradually start to make inroads into our state-funded services, and this includes our schools and our libraries. In conversation with Glenn, Timms denied this basic fact. Yet, with the White Paper, we witness the beginning of this process in UK secondary schools.

On The World Tonight Glenn spoke about the 2002 UK Education Act, which as he pointed out:

…enabled schools to set themselves up as companies, to trade with other companies, to trade on the stock exchange and so on…

He then emphasised how the White Paper was an extension of this Act, with the further development of federations, academies and new trusts, resulting in opportunities for companies to be able to make further inroads into state school education.

Jacqui Smith, the Schools Minister, spoke about the White Paper on the programme, saying that its aim is to get the state school sector to work more with independent schools, academies, specialist schools, and to achieve ‘standards of excellence’. But she argued that this is the purpose of the White Paper, and that it is not about the privatisation of secondary education – i.e. that it is not about the business takeover of schools. According to her:

…there are lessons to be learnt from academies, from specialist schools about the contribution that external partners can make to helping to drive improvement in schools. We are thinking about charitable trusts set up, perhaps, with educational foundations, with successful schools setting up trusts so that they can share good practice with others.

However, Ian Gibson, the back bench Labour MP also on the programme, was sceptical about the extent to which independent schools would want to be involved in state education anyway, whilst Jonathan Shepherd, General Secretary of the Independent Schools Council representing over 1,200 independent schools, in discussion with Glenn Rikowski on the programme, seemed to think that it could work, and indeed could work very effectively. Jonathan Shepherd said:

We are working in partnership with the maintained sector already. I think the trust model gives our schools a chance to get more involved, to make more of a contribution and I am very sure that a lot of schools would want to do that.

He continued saying:

The boundaries have been becoming increasingly blurred over the past few years, and there is much more cooperation, there is much more realisation on both sides, that we are all in the same business of trying to educate children…

The main focus of the programme was on this notion of a growing partnership between the independent schools sector and the state school sector, as outlined in the White Paper, but Glenn Rikowski broadened the topic out to wider and ultimately more threatening issues. It is these wider issues that we need to maintain a firm grasp of and understanding about. And these wider issues relate to Library Services as well.

To understand the real threat, we need to understand global capitalism, and in order to effectively understand this we need to go back to Marx. Then, we need to make Marxism applicable to the world that we find ourselves in today. And so, we need to start with the commodity . Marx began his analysis of capitalism, in Capital Vol. 1, with the commodity, saying that:

The wealth of those societies in which the capitalist mode of production prevails, presents itself as an ‘immense accumulation of commodities’, its unit being a single commodity. Our investigation must therefore begin with the analysis of a commodity. (Marx, 1887, p. 43)

The logic of capitalism is the commodification of all that surrounds us. This is impossibility in reality, but this is because capitalism is a madhouse, based on irresolvable contradictions, but never-the-less, this is its aim. This is because it is a system that has evolved out of previous social systems – it is not a social, economic and political system that we have arrived at by using our intellect and by deciding that this is a better system than any other social, economic and political system. As I say in my book Globalisation, Information and Libraries (2005):

Capitalism is a social system that has emerged/evolved from other social systems, such as feudalism and ancient slave-based societies. It is not a system that has developed as a result of a carefully thought-through process, using our intellect to think about what would be the best social, economic and political system to have. It is anarchic. (R.Rikowski, 2005, p. 298)

Thus, what we are actually witnessing here with the Education White Paper and with many other papers, agreements and directives etc. that are being introduced today globally, is the extension of the commodification process. Capitalism needs to commodify more and more areas of life. The World Trade Organisation has been set up to enhance trade – and trade is about selling commodities. So, in order to make this become a reality there need to be more commodities that can be traded. The agreements being set up at the WTO assist with the extension of this commodification process.

In my various published works I have focused on the two agreements that are likely to have significant implications for libraries and information – namely, the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The GATS and TRIPS also impacts on many other areas, and this includes Educational Services.

As I make clear in my book, the GATS and TRIPS are in essence about transforming services (through GATS) and intellectual property rights (through TRIPS) into international tradable commodities. Glenn also makes this point on the radio programme, emphasising how the GATS is about transforming Educational Services into international tradable commodities.

So, let us return to the commodity. We have to fully appreciate the fact that we need to begin our analysis of capitalism with the commodity. Furthermore, that value that is created by labour, and can only ever be created by labour becomes embedded in the commodity. As Marx said:

...human labour creates value, but is not itself value. It becomes value only in its congealed state, when embodied in the form of some object. (Marx, 1887, p. 57)

These commodities are then sold in the market-place, profits are made (and profits are derived from value) and thus capitalism is sustained and perpetuated, whilst labour is exploited, alienated and objectified. Therefore, the aim in capitalism is to commodify more and more areas of life, and the GATS and TRIPS assists with this process.

Coming back to the Education White Paper, this can actually be seen to be a mechanism that will help to enable the GATS to take effect. It is, in fact, one of the National Faces of the GATS – which is a concept that Glenn Rikowki formulated, and that I have applied to public libraries. I argue that Best Value, Library Standards and the People’s Network are all examples of National Faces of the GATS – they are mechanisms and facilitators that will enable the GATS to take effect in our public libraries. By this I mean that they generate an environment that enables service suppliers other than state-run local authorities to start to take a hold. (see R.Rikowski, 2005 and R. Rikowski, 2002).

Thus, the Education White Paper outlines its vision for the setting up of trusts and academies etc – but strictly ‘not-for-profit’ organisations, as Jacqui Smith, the Schools Minister emphasises. However, once this type of school system is in place, it creates an environment of alternative suppliers, beyond the local education authority that is run by the state. This is already taking place anyway, as both Robin Lustig, the presenter and Glenn Rikowski make clear on the radio programme. Robin Lustig refers to ‘Edu-Business’ companies, and Glenn emphasises how some local education authorities are already being run by companies, and that some individual schools are being run by companies on contract (G. Rikowski, 2005). Therefore, whilst the White Paper is not proposing to bring in ‘for-profit’ organisations into the state secondary education system, it will create an environment that will enable this process to be extended and exacerbated – i.e. it is a National Face of the GATS .. Thus, despite what Jacqui Smith might say, this is what the White Paper is fundamentally about - i.e. the beginnings of the privatisation of our state secondary school system and the business takeover of schools, and beyond this, to the commodification of Educational Services in the UK in general.

Thus, we need to recognise and appreciate the fact that it was Marx that said that we need to begin our analysis of capitalism with the commodity and that it is the commodification process that we see that is being exacerbated today, through this Education White Paper, through the GATS and the TRIPS and the WTO in general, and indeed, in many, many other areas in global capitalism today.

In terms of my own work, I am consistently endeavouring to alert the library and information profession to the dangers that are being posed to the profession through the GATS and TRIPS, and how these agreements threaten many of the fundamental principles in the profession, such as the balance in copyright and a free public library service. Furthermore, that there is a need for more in-depth Marxist analysis about various developments in the profession. Toni Samek says in her review of my book in Feliciter , the Canadian Library Association journal:

In a profession that is regrettably light on theory, the fresh Marxist analysis offered here is an exceptionally important contribution to our literature. In essence, Rikowksi urges us to envision alternatives to the status quo in order to redress the balance in the free flow of information. This is a remarkable book and I highly recommend it for all library sectors and constituencies, including LIS schools.

Thus, let us return to Marx, use the tools and concepts that he gave us to examine and analyse what is going on in the global capitalist world that we find ourselves in today. From this, we will then be in a strong position to be able to look for an alternative society, where the needs of people are put before profit. Let us look towards a better future and a brighter world.


References

Marx, Karl (1887) (1954 – reproduced text of English edition of 1887), Capital: a critique of political economy, Vol 1, London: Lawrence and Wishart

Rikowski, Glenn (2001) The Battle in Seattle: Its Significance for Education , London: Tufnell Press –
The Battle in Seattle

Rikowski, Glenn (2005) Silence on the Wolves: what is absent in New Labour’s Five Year Strategy or Education, Education Research Centre, Occasional Paper May 2005, University of Brighton. (Copies - £3.00 including postage and packaging - can be ordered from: The Administrator, Education Research Centre, Mayfield House University of Brighton, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9PH - Cheques payable to the 'University of Brighton')

Rikowski, Ruth (2002) Globalisation and Libraries, in Globalisation, report by House of Lords, Select Committee on Economic Affairs, Session 2002-03, 1st Report, the Stationery Office, 2002. In ‘Volume of Evidence’, part 2, HL5-11 – on CD ROM, pp. 360-371

Rikowski, Ruth (2005) Globalisation, Information and Libraries: the implications of the World Trade Organisation’s GATS and TRIPS Agreements, Chandos: Oxford Globalisation, Information and Libraries

Samek, Toni (2005) Book Review of Ruth Rikowski’s book ‘Globalisation, Information and Libraries: the implications of the World Trade Organisation’s GATS and TRIPS Agreements’, Feliciter, the journal of the Canadian Library Association, Vol. 51, No. 5, p.246

Websites

The World Tonight Programme

Transcription of the ‘World Tonight’ programme, compiled by Ruth and Glenn Rikowski

Discussion on the education White Paper for England and the extension of the commodification process in libraries and schools by Ruth Rikowski and Glenn Rikowski, Information for Social Change, Winter 2005, No. 22. Discussion of the Education White Paper by Ruth Rikowski and Glenn Rikowski

Further Information regarding the Education White Paper

Schools White Paper: Highlights – links to documents relating to the White Paper:
Documents relating to the Education White Paper

The White Paper – PDF and Word downloads from: The White Paper

Press Release on the White Paper

Parliamentary Speech: Secretary of State for Education, Ruth Kelly, presents the White Paper to Parliament:


This article originally appeared in the Managing Information Forum - Managing Information
It will be reappearing in the new Managing Information blog, once it goes live.


Ruth Rikowski, London, 31st October 2005

© Copyright Ruth Rikowski, October 2005



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