In Chapter 6 of Part I of Gulliver’s Travels, Gulliver outlines the unusual customs and laws of the Lilliputians. He explains that in their society, parents are considered the least suitable people to educate their own children.
-
As a result, children are sent at a very young age to public nurseries that are fully managed by the state.
-
These institutions take responsibility for both the upbringing and education of the children.
-
The training and instruction provided are carefully adapted to the child’s social class and future responsibilities in society.
-
This system reflects Swift’s satirical criticism of contemporary debates in England regarding education, family roles, and state control.
