I have previously pondered on the matter of higher education and the quality and intelligence of the electorate in the United Kingdom and the United States. There is a world ranking system of universities. According to the QS World University Rankings 2023 of the top 10 Universities in the world 5 are in the United States, 4 are in the United Kingdom. The odd one out is in Switzerland.
It would also appear that 27, or over a quarter, of the top 100 ranked Universities are in the United States, and 17 of the top 100 in the United Kingdom, which means 44% of the top 100 universities are in the UK and USA. It would also appear that 56 of the top 100 are in Countries where English is the first language. This means that 56% of the top ranked higher educational establishments in the world are taught in English. Even more disconcerting is that 90% of the top 10 are in two countries where English is the first language.
The United Kingdom and the United States hold themselves out as the world leading democracies so far as freedom and human rights are concerned. They can, with perhaps more justification, hold themselves out as leaders in higher education throughout the world.
I find this puzzling and problematic. If these rankings are correct, then how is it that there is a serial liar, would be dictator, and, on the face of it, criminally liable demagogue in line to, once again, assume the Presidency of the United States. As to the United Kingdom, we have just had the intended resignation of another serial liar and convicted criminal, namely Boris Johnson, now being replaced by one of his acolytes. Not only that, but the leader of the country is being chosen by 0.2% of the population, in the most undemocratic fashion, and both of the contenders have right wing agendas which are completely in opposition to the claimed human rights and civil liberties so long lauded by the United Kingdom.
One would have thought that having got rid of Mr Trump in 2020 that would have been an end of the matter; yet, he still claims the support of millions of citizens of the United States, who, I am assuming did not avail themselves of the top ranked higher education that prevails across the country, on the east coast in Massachusetts and New York, the mid-west in, Illinois, and on the west coast in California. Likewise the British electorate are woefully under educated.
I am not suggesting that everyone can attend Oxford, Cambridge, or UCL and Imperial college, but in the UK, in physical terms a smallish sized country, where one is never more than 70 miles from a sea, there are 17 of the world’s top 100 Universities, dotted about the country, including (apart from the four aforementioned) Edinburgh, Manchester, King’s College, LSE, Bristol, Warwick, Southampton, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham, Durham, Sheffield and St Andrews. It is a remarkable choice to have.
Furthermore, I am not suggesting that higher education is of necessity a breeding ground for centre, left of centre or just left wing or socialist political thinking. On the contrary a great number of conservative centre and right of centre politicians have emerged from universities.
Higher education does, on the whole, temper thought away from extremism, although not necessarily as is shown by the background of Trump. Johnson, Sunak and Truss.
Donald Trump apparently received a BS Econ. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, which is the business school of the University, a private Ivy League research university, generally considered to be one of the most prestigious business schools in the world. The Wharton School is the world's oldest collegiate business school, having been established in 1881 through a donation from Joseph Wharton. Boris Johnson evolved from Eton and obtained a BA from Balliol College Oxford. Liz Truss has a BA from Merton College, Oxford.
Mr Sunak has a BA from Lincoln College, Oxford and an MBA from Stanford University, number 3 in the world university rankings.
It is clear then that higher education is no guarantee of clear and considered political thought. Mr Trump shows no evidence of any thinking and Ms Truss has been all round the houses in politics, from labour, to liberal democrat to tory, Remainer and Brexit evangelist. There is no end to her political shape shifting. As to Boris, he was born spoilt and maintained his arrogant privileged naughty schoolboy clown persona, willing to fabricate any story to gain advantage with fantasies of being world king. His great friend at school, Darius Guppy, is a convicted fraudster of the same ilk.
Rishi Sunak is more problematic having gained a first at Oxford, and an MBA at prestigious Stanford where he was a Fulbright Scholar. He does however, because of his ambition in the party, lean to the extreme right. He will most likely not become prime minister, nor is he likely to serve in a cabinet post again for some considerable time. He may well opt out and regain his green card for employment in the United States. There will be nothing for him in the UK. Others, like David Miliband and Nick Clegg both found niches in the United States after their time in UK Politics. So this would be an obvious move for him. I believe my American friends should be prepared to welcome him.
In any event, what is disconcerting is that, despite the quality and extent of higher educational establishments in both the United States and the United Kingdom, we have looming crises, a potential shift towards the hard right and an end of an ethical democratic process, which would usually lead to leadership of strength, integrity and, on the whole, exceptional public service.
I am afraid those days are gone as well as one’s faith in the value of higher education. I could be well off base here, and I would love to be wrong.
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