Let us now explore the events surrounding the emergence of the three perspectives on illiteracy and the basic assumptions and propositions of each, beginning with the dominant, liberal, perspective (Chapter 2) and moving on to the conservative (Chapter 3) and the critical (Chapters 4 and 5). Based on this information, we will then proceed to compare the perspectives In terms of their current influence among adult basic educators (Chapters 6 and 7) and to judge the relative adequacy of the liberal and critical perspectives as foundations for Canadian adult basic education thought and practice (Chapters 8 through 12).