Final answer:
The emergence of social conscience has significantly changed how children are treated, reflecting a historical shift from acceptance of harsh discipline to recognizing such actions as abusive. Educational practices and societal movements like the Social Gospel have evolved to protect and nurture children, underscoring the ethics of care and societal responsibility.
Step-by-step explanation:
Throughout history, the treatment of children has been influenced by the prevailing social conscience of the time. For instance, sixty years ago, corporal punishment such as hitting a child with a wooden spoon for misbehavior was socially acceptable, whereas today, it is likely to be considered child abuse. This shift reflects a broader change in societal attitudes and the importance of recognising historical context through sociological imagination. Additionally, the impact of the Industrial Revolution led to divergent experiences for middle-class and working-class children, with the former attending school and engaging in self-improving activities, while the latter often worked in factories, which sparked concerns about their welfare and future abilities as citizens and soldiers.
In educational settings, there has been a move away from practices that were once standard but are now seen as harmful, such as the cultural imperialism in schools that forced children to dispense with their traditions and exposed them to harmful diseases due to sudden changes in environment. This transition towards a more empathetic approach aligns with the ethics of care, as articulated by Gilligan, advocating for the importance of nurturing emotional intelligence in children. Movements like the Social Gospel also played a significant role in encouraging societal responsibility towards the vulnerable, including children, by promoting charitable work and questioning unjust labor practices. These historical shifts mark the evolution of our collective conscience towards a more caring and equitable treatment of children.