Democracy and Education

Democracy and Education:

Immediately following the Revolutionary War, the founders of this nation were faced with the grave decision of how to create their new nation and what this government would look like. Some suggested George Washington be made king, and others were wary of a monarch after just fighting long and hard to rid themselves of King George. Instead of mimicking any European power, the newly formed United States looked back to the Roman Republic for inspiration. A government based on democratic ideals; in which men would be equal and would strive to protect the natural rights of life, liberty, and property (or pursuit of happiness).

Many questioned whether this form of government could sustain itself. In the Federalist Papers No. 51 this fear was echoed; “In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” People feared a government would run rampant and control their lives. So in a democracy, when many people, both educated and uneducated, are allowed to vote, what could be the outcome? This critical question worried the founders of this country and citizens alike.

Could a democracy work if its citizens were uneducated and could not read a ballot, newspaper articles, or write a letter of complaint? An active citizen stays informed on the issues and accesses the government through reading and writing. Therefore it is critical for citizens to be educated, but who is responsible for providing education? Should individual citizens be required to provide their own education or should the state provide an education? Furthermore, should non-voting citizens be provided an education? Reading equals access, and American history is littered with restrictions on who can access the educational system in an attempt to disenfranchise these citizens.