Evolution of Education in Chile: From O’Higgins to Carrera
Bernardo O’Higgins
The issue of education remained consistent. Key aspects:
- 1818: The state takes charge of education.
- Teachers had to apply for their positions.
- 1819: Education regulations established.
This project introduced the Lancastrian method (1821), a mutual teaching system from England. The teacher worked with a small group, training monitors who then taught the rest. This system used rewards and punishments, with vertical communication (only monitors with the teacher). The main advantage was literacy for many students at a low cost. This method was applied in Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Bolivia. In Chile, there was resistance due to its Protestant origins and perceived lack of emphasis on religious instruction, and because it was imposed by the unpopular O’Higgins.
Doctrines and Reductions
Doctrines
Indigenous peoples, evicted from their land, were placed in small villages with a chapel to change their habits. Land was not individually owned as it was managed by the church. This system involved forced labor but offered better survival chances.
Reductions
A revolutionary approach by the Jesuit order (intellectuals engaged in study, close to power, and educators of princes). The Jesuits immersed themselves in indigenous communities, learning their culture and language before evangelizing. They created large communities where indigenous people joined voluntarily and eventually requested baptism. This method focused on children.
The Parcel System
The main method of control involved placing indigenous people under the authority of a Spaniard responsible for their evangelization and labor. This was essentially disguised slavery, often leading to infanticide. Bartolomé de las Casas and Luis de Valdivia opposed this system, sending letters to the crown. However, new laws were declared but rarely implemented. One measure to alleviate the burden on indigenous communities was the introduction of black slaves, treated as objects and very expensive, thus creating a social class demarcation.
Latin Schools
Objective: To train local priests.
Taught in the church: scriptures, sacred history. Funded by the crown, attended from ages 13-14 for 3-4 years, leading to priesthood.
Evangelization: Jesuits vs. Other Orders
Jesuit Evangelization
The Jesuits first immersed themselves in the indigenous culture and language before beginning evangelization.
Other Evangelization Methods
The Spanish were tasked with teaching good manners, implying the right to intervene in and dismantle indigenous culture. The church expected the Spanish to follow established practices:
- Catechesis: Understanding and accepting indigenous religion, almost through persuasion.
- Baptism and acceptance.
Arguments for Jesuit Expulsion
The Jesuits were persecuted in Europe for their international power, which challenged national sovereignty. The Society of Jesus, founded in the 16th century to counter the Protestant Reformation, aimed to spread Catholicism, defend the church, and strengthen papal authority through missions and education. Their expulsion from the Spanish Empire was part of the Bourbon reforms. King Carlos III distrusted their power, wealth, and political influence. They educated the elites but resisted royal policies.
José Miguel Carrera
Carrera aimed to expand education. He ordered ecclesiastical establishments and convents to open alphabetization schools. He sought to democratize education and engage the people intellectually, supported by Chilean patriots.