Tre studi su Pestalozzi. III - Gli esiti conservatori della pedagogia popolare

This article delves into Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi’s vision of popular pedagogy, examining its underlying conservative outcomes and tensions. Rooted in Rousseau's ideals and shaped by Swiss patriotism, Pestalozzi’s approach sought to create moral, autonomous citizens while confronting the challenges of modernity and socioeconomic change. His concept of Bauernordnung (“peasant order”) emphasized the transformative potential of disciplined labor and a structured communal life as pathways to personal and social autonomy. However, this pedagogical model reveals contradictions: it aims for individual moral independence but often reinforces traditional, subordinate roles for the peasantry. By addressing these tensions, the study highlights enduring challenges in educational efforts to balance personal emancipation with social cohesion.