Roger Freeman’s 1970 Warning: The “Educated Proletariat” as Dynamite

Certain quotes etch themselves into history, sparking debate and illuminating pivotal moments. One such statement, “We are in danger of producing an educated proletariat. … That’s dynamite! We have to be selective on who we allow [to go to college],” is tied to Ronald Reagan’s advisory circle during his California governorship. A reader recently asked about this quote, linking it to a campaign advisor from Reagan’s pre-presidential years. After digging into the archives, here’s the story of its origins, its author, and the context that gave it weight.

The Historical Backdrop:

The quote captures a provocative fear: an educated working class, or “proletariat” in Marxist terms, could destabilize society. The word “dynamite” underscores the perceived threat of upheaval. This idea resonated in the late 1960s and early 1970s, an era of student protests, civil rights struggles, and heated debates over higher education access. Ronald Reagan, California’s governor from 1967 to 1975, was a key player in these battles, often clashing with the University of California system to limit free education and curb campus activism.

The reader’s query pointed to Reagan’s campaign circle before his 1981–1989 presidency, likely his 1970 gubernatorial reelection campaign, when education policy was a flashpoint. This timeframe anchors our search for the quote’s source.

Identifying Roger Freeman:

The evidence strongly points to Roger Freeman, an education advisor to Reagan during the 1970 campaign, as the quote’s author. According to a San Francisco Chronicle article from October 30, 1970, cited by The Intercept, Freeman made the statement at a press conference on October 29, 1970: “We are in danger of producing an educated proletariat. … That’s dynamite! We have to be selective on who we allow [to go to college].” This phrasing is consistently tied to Freeman across multiple sources.

Born in 1904 in Vienna, Austria, Freeman was a seasoned policy figure, having advised the Eisenhower and Nixon administrations and served as a senior fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution.

His views on education were shaped by historical concerns, including Germany’s post-World War I struggles with an oversupply of educated but jobless citizens. As The Intercept notes, he warned of “highly trained and unemployed people,” a fear he applied to California’s education system.

Freeman’s Role in Reagan’s Campaign:

Freeman’s advisory role during Reagan’s 1970 campaign placed him at the center of California’s education policy debates. Reagan, guided by advisors like Freeman, shifted the cost of higher education onto students through tuition and loans, aiming to restrict access and prevent the rise of a politically active working class. Freeman’s press conference remarks, advocating selectivity in college admissions, reflect this strategy. BestColleges details how these policies laid the foundation for the modern student debt crisis, driven partly by fears of an “educated proletariat.”

Supporting Evidence:

Multiple sources corroborate Freeman’s attribution. A 2021 Reddit thread on r/socialism sought to verify the quote, citing the same Chronicle article, “Professor Sees Peril in Education.” BestColleges also links the quote to Freeman, as do community discussions on platforms like FARK.com. The quote’s specificity—its focus on the “proletariat” and “dynamite”—ties it firmly to Freeman’s documented words.

Addressing Doubts:

Some skepticism surrounds the quote, as noted in the r/socialism thread, where users questioned its almost too-perfect alignment with critiques of Reagan’s policies. However, the Chronicle article and analyses from The Intercept and BestColleges provide robust evidence, grounding Freeman’s statement in a verifiable moment. The consistency across sources dispels doubts, affirming the quote’s historical accuracy.

The Quote’s Lasting Significance:

Freeman’s words open a window into the motivations behind Reagan’s education reforms and the broader conservative effort to control access to higher education. By framing an educated proletariat as “dynamite,” Freeman voiced a strategic concern: widespread education could empower the working class to challenge the status quo. This perspective shaped policies with enduring impacts, including the rise of student debt as a barrier to access. Revisiting this quote helps us trace the historical roots of today’s education debates.

Conclusion:

The evidence confirms Roger Freeman as the source of the quote, “We are in danger of producing an educated proletariat. … That’s dynamite! We have to be selective on who we allow [to go to college],” delivered at a 1970 press conference. As Reagan’s advisor, Freeman’s words reflect the anxieties and priorities of an era, offering insight into the policies that shaped modern higher education. This historical gem reminds us how a single statement can echo through decades.

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