Introduction

In Chapter 1 of this book, we set out three key versions of the Learning Society which are in play in official policy talk and are also reflected in services delivered by a range of agencies. These were the human capital, the social capital and the social control versions of a Learning Society. Having explored lifelong learning in relation to post-school education, training, employment and benefits regimes, we consider the extent to which each of these versions of a Learning Society is in evidence and its implications for people with learning difficulties. We conclude by suggesting some more fruitful directions for the Learning Society of the future that might enable it be an inclusive rather than an exclusive force.

The human capital version of the Learning Society

As we suggested earlier, this essentially economic version of the Learning Society has become the dominant model and appears to be capable of uniting, at least at a superficial level, a wide variety of interest groups. Official policy documents routinely assert that investment in human capital is essential to beat off competitors in the global jungle. Thus the introduction to the Scottish White Paper on lifelong learning asserts:

The consequences of this economic justification of lifelong learning are different for different groups. People in work are likely to find growing opportunities for formal and informal learning at work, as initiatives such as Investors in People, the University for Industry and Individual Learning Accounts support individuals in upgrading their skills. Entry to programmes providing employment-orientated skill formation is likely to be restricted to more able individuals who will produce the best economic return on investment.

For people with learning difficulties, however, the consequences of a Learning Society driven by human capital rhetoric are likely to be very restrictive.