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In the 1950s and 1960s in France, individual and collective adult education were two hotly debated alternatives at the national and local level at a moment when adult education and training—or “lifelong learning”—emerged as a social project aimed at promoting individuals and/or social groups. Drawing on sources from the national archives and those of a training center, this paper examines the variety of meanings attached to the idea of “promotion.” What distinguishes the different understandings and who defends them from a political and social point of view? The paper then identifies the pedagogical arguments for the development of collective adult education, within the framework of individual training programs and within the actions collectives de formation (ACF – ). The analysis reveals the fundamental role attributed to the family circle in these discussions. In conclusion, the author questions the decline in intensity of these debates, their evolution, or transposition into other social spheres beyond lifelong learning.