An Introduction to the Comparison on Educational Thoughts of Marx and Dewey

Since 1980s, the theme of education has received attention in the comparative study of Marx and Dewey. This attention is related to the increasing importance of Marxism in the field of education since the 1970s. However, most of studies uncritically accepts the "prejudice" of the Marxist educational scholarship on the periphery of education in Marx's thought, which not only makes the researchers underestimate the tension between Marx's social and political thought and Dewey's educational thought, but also leads to the ignorance of possible conflicts within their educational ideas. The key to overcoming the above-mentioned "prejudices" is to recognize the importance of education in Marx's thought, positioning Marx as an educator, and then clarifying the divergence and convergence between Marx and Dewey's educational thoughts. The comparison of their educational thoughts is of special significance to the study of Chinese educational theories.