The Societal Origins of State Education

Abstract

Historical accounts on increasing state control over education are predominantly set in contexts with the rise of strong modern states. But, can states assert control over education while operating under severe fiscal constraints, and also facing competition with existing providers in society? I look at the history of education in colonial states to show when such expansion is possible. I argue that, while governments initially relied on societal providers for education, state expanded their control during periods of high local resistance, building their own system in competition with societal providers. Using original panel data of 33 British Burma districts over two decades (1901-20), I show that, only among the districts with high Buddhist male literacy (measuring indigenous education level), rising number of riots and unlawful assemblies since 1901 (measuring resistance) was positively associated with female enrollments, a key measure of state involvement since few indigenous monastic schools admitted women. Theoretical implications from this paper can help us better understand state-building processes in fiscally constrained states, and the important role societal institutions played in the development of state institutions.