Although Thomas Jefferson's status as a champion of education is
widely known, the essays in "Light and Liberty" make clear that his
efforts to enlighten fellow citizens reflected not only a love of
learning but also a love of freedom. Using as a starting point
Jefferson's conviction that knowledge is the basis of republican
self-government, the contributors examine his educational projects
not as disparate attempts to advance knowledge for its own sake but
instead as a result of his unyielding, almost obsessive desire to
bolster Americans' republican virtues and values.
Whether by establishing schools or through broader,
extra-institutional efforts to disseminate knowledge, Jefferson's
endeavors embraced his vision for a dynamic and meritocratic
America. He aimed not only to provide Americans with the ability to
govern themselves and participate in the government of others but
also to influence Americans to remake their society in accordance
with his own principles.
Written in clear and accessible prose, "Light and Liberty"
reveals the startling diversity of Jefferson's attempts to rid
citizens of the ignorance and vice that, in the view of Jefferson
and many contemporaries, had corroded and corrupted once-great
civilizations. Never wavering from his faith that "knowledge is
power," Jefferson embraced an expansive understanding of education
as the foundation for a republic of free and responsible
individuals who understood their rights and stood ready to defend
them.
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