The Economics of Education: Human Capital, Family Background and Inequality Book

"The question is not whether the public schools have deteriorated, but why." - Introduction

This study was conducted in the mid 20th century, looking at British education over the previous century. It is a unique title; I've seen surprisingly little literature in the space of examining the effectiveness of state involvement in education. This book actually provides a reason for this in Ch 16, the conclusion to the second edition, where it is postulated that the differences in opinion in education debates boil down to political ideology. The facts do not support the idea that universal, free, compulsory education is helpful in practice, at all. Mostly because education was nearly universal and much more efficient under the market system that predates the modern governmental system.

West demonstrates that all of the arguments for government involvement in education are fallacious, some partly, and some completely. While coming with a libertarian bent, West is remarkably fair and scientific in his analysis. He acknowledges where government involvement may be helpful and describes where more research is needed.

The best part of this book is the unrelenting specification of assumptions. West leaves no stone uncovered in examining goals, perceived and ostensible, conflicting and opposing. This sets the analysis on a good foundation, since without defining terms one easily talks past the substantive issues.

The worst part of this book is the consistently complex sentence structure combined with a slightly academic style (it was a study after all). It is a touch tedious to read, but the content is so engaging that the style can easily be put up with by the avid reader. I would not recommend this book to everyone though, as it could be considered a difficult read.