Sadly, in today’s world of higher education, the institutions that Madison trusted to “diffuse knowledge” have used that trust to take knowledge, money and fame for themselves. Of course, when I say institutions, I don’t mean every institution, or every member of any particular institution. But everyone does bear some responsibility for stopping this.
It won’t be easy to stop. From my experience, when any good is important to the general welfare of the people – be it medicine or education – the people and institutions that deliver that good will initially be run by well intentioned people. But, if it is hard for the general public to assess the real value of the good, then charlatans will see that the public’s trust can mean an “easy buck”. They will then slowly begin to infiltrate the institutions until they become a critical mass. At that point, they will be hard to fight. But the good (such as education) will be no less important, just harder to get, and only the smartest, richest, and most clever, or, in rare cases, luckiest, will get that good, or, at least the appearance of it. That is what has happened in higher education – and now in all of education. (See more of my blog for that.)
Now for Madison on the importance of education for democracy.
“…a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives…”
“…The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty…”
“…Learned Institutions ought to be favorite objects with every free people. They throw that light over the public mind which is the best security against crafty and dangerous encroachments on the public liberty…” [Obviously, the “learned institutions” of Madison’s day must have been run by trusted citizens.]
“…The best service that can be rendered to a Country, next to that of giving it liberty, is in diffusing the mental improvement equally essential to the preservation, and the enjoyment of the blessing…”
“…At cheaper and nearer seats of Learning parents with slender incomes may place their sons in a course of education putting them on a level with the sons of the Richest…” [That is what LBJ thought when the Higher Education Act was passed. But without accountability, that didn’t work as planned. In fact the opposite of the intended goal occurred.]
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