Restoring Servility in the Educational Policy
Restoring Servility in the Educational Policy

Author(s): Mihály Andor
Subject(s): State/Government and Education, Present Times (2010 - today)
Published by: Central European University Press
Keywords: Educational Policy;Orban government;Hungary;Public education;
Summary/Abstract: History has witnessed many revolts of serfs but never a revolt of the farm servants of large agricultural estates. Serfs, whether faring better or worse, were in charge, within certain limits, of their lives on their own lot. Farm servants, on the other hand, owned nothing at all. Even though provided with accommodation and shelter, they had no control over their lives since they were dependent on their landlords’ humanity for their well being.Serfs had the incentive to produce more so as to keep more. If their landlords tightened the rope around their necks, they had the consciousness to rebel. Servants, in contrast, received no more than their food and lodging, however hard they worked. Their resistance did not manifest itself in revolts but in sly individual acts such as punching the ox in the nose to slow it down in the furrows in order to make the work less exerting. At other times, they underhandedly spat or urinated into the landlord’s dish as a way of releasing their frustration. They cheated and thieved whenever they could to squeeze out just a bit more for themselves.

• Details
• Contents