The Freeman 1972 - The Ludwig von Mises Institute

1972 THE EDUCATIONAL DILEMMA 363principal, by the agent, that is bypresidents and deans and least ofall by students. However distastefulthis rule of conduct is, it mustbe respected unless the supportingbody in each case decides to standthe educational system on itshead.The Fallacy in Public EducationBut events in the area of highereducation in the last decade havenewly exposed the essential fallacyin the concept of public education.Government at all levels, beingnecessarily primarily political incharacter and .having police powerat its disposal, has interests whichare antithetical to education in thefullest sense. All that it is interestedin doing and all that it iscapable of doing in the area ofeducation is to train citizens, noteducate them, in the skills of responsiblecitizenship. This is avery limited function, and it maybe seriously doubted whether thestate should involve itself even inthis operation, since, by assumingthis minimal training responsibility,it will inevitably undertaketo impose its political will andrigidified formulas upon the citizenry.Libertarian principles rightlycondemn government control overeducation at all levels. HerbertSpencer·pinpointed the fallacy inhis Social Statics, published inLondon in 1851: "What is meantby saying that a governmentought to educate the people? ...What is the education for?" Andfrom these questions he concluded,"Clearly to fit the people for sociallife - to make them good citizens.And who is to say what are goodcitizens? The government: thereis no other judge." He askedfurther, "And who is to say howthese good citizens may be made?"Again, his answer was, "The government:there is no other judge."Spencer's conclusion is as irresistibleas it is ominous.Jefferson's ViewsThe political uses of institutionsof higher learning to accomplishcertain predetermined nationalpurposes were fully appreciated byThomas Jefferson and have beeenemulated by his successors in government.At a special meeting onMarch 4, 1825 of the Board ofVisitors of the University of Virginia,which Jefferson had foundedand of which he was then servingas rector, the Board, with Jeffersonpresent, adopted the followingresolution:Whereas, it is the duty of thisBoard to the government under whichit lives, and especially to that ofwhich this University is the immediatecreation, to pay especial attentionto the principles of governmentwhich shall be inculcated therein, and