Sacred Slavery in Education: A Comparative Analysis of Neoliberal Policies’ Impact on Moral Education and Family Relationships in the United States, Finland, and Chile

This study examines the transformative impact of neoliberal educational policies on moral education and family relationships through a comparative analysis of educational systems in the United States, Finland, and Chile. The research introduces the concept of "sacred slavery" to analyze how market-driven educational paradigms bind students to economic imperatives at the expense of moral development and family cohesion. Through Critical Discourse Analysis of educational policies, quantitative analysis of PISA data (2018-2022), and case studies, the study reveals significant correlations between the degree of market-oriented education policies and approaches to moral education. Analysis of PISA well-being indicators demonstrates that students in Finland report substantially higher life satisfaction (85th percentile) compared to their counterparts in the United States (33rd percentile) and Chile (28th percentile). These variations correlate with the presence of moral and ethical content in curricula. The United States and Chile, characterized by highly marketized systems, exhibit clear signs of "sacred slavery," potentially sacrificing comprehensive moral education for economic objectives. The findings suggest the need for post-secular educational frameworks that balance market considerations with holistic moral development, contributing to ongoing debates about education's role in shaping ethical citizens.