Culture and Anarchy (Oxford World's Classics)

"The men of culture are the true apostles of equality."

Matthew Arnold's famous series of essays, first published in book form under the title Culture and Anarchy in 1869, explore profound questions about the nature of culture and society—questions that remain as relevant today as they were in Arnold's time.

Arnold examines:

• What culture really is
• What good it can do
• What is our own special need of it

Set in an age of rapid social change and increasing mechanization, Arnold contrasts culture—"the study of perfection"—with anarchy, the mood of unrest and uncertainty that characterized mid-Victorian England. He delves into critical issues such as:

• How individuals can be educated, not indoctrinated
• The role of the state in spreading "sweetness and light"

This edition reproduces the original book version, allowing readers to appreciate its immediate historical context while reflecting on its enduring significance in addressing the challenges of multi-culturalism and post-modernism.

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