Month: January 2026

A reply to a ‘lefty trad’ (part 2): What do socialists say about work?

In part one of this series we analysed a quote about ‘order’ from a socialist politician in 1923. After establishing its context, we concluded that the quote did not support the ‘lefty trad’ case for the use of strict disciplinary techniques, such as SLANT, in state schools today.

Now we turn to a second quote used to justify those techniques. The argument is as follows: In a socialist society  everybody will be expected to work for mutual benefit. However, idleness is a natural part of human character and requires a sanction. Avoidance of work is “amplified a thousandfold” in schools. Teachers must impose strong discipline to ‘correct’ adolescents’ reluctance to engage in learning.

Continue reading “A reply to a ‘lefty trad’ (part 2): What do socialists say about work?”

A reply to a ‘lefty trad’ (part 1): What do socialists say about order?

The ‘lefty trad’ claim that socialists should promote traditional teaching methods has resurfaced in two posts. The posts advance four interlinked arguments:

1. Socialists support community order, promote a strong social work ethic, and have high expectations of the working class.

2. The same applies “a thousandfold” to children in schools.

3. Teachers achieve order, hard work, and high expectations in schools through traditional methods of behaviour management, such as SLANT. (Progressive methods lead to chaotic classrooms and cannot, therefore, realise socialists’ aims.)

4. Traditional methods allow working-class and disadvantaged students, including those with SEND and the neurodiverse, to thrive. A very small minority will not cope – but there is always another school for them!

Continue reading “A reply to a ‘lefty trad’ (part 1): What do socialists say about order?”