Herbert Spencer Quote

"For what is meant by saying that a government ought to educate the people? Why should they be educated? What is the education for? Clearly, to fit the people for social life -- to make them good citizens. And who is to say what are good citizens? The government: there is no other judge. And who is to say how these good citizens may be made? The government: there is no other judge. Hence the proposition is convertible into this -- a government ought to mold children into good citizens, using its own discretion in settling what a good citizen is and how the child may be molded into one."

By:	Herbert Spencer (more quotes by Herbert Spencer or books by/about Herbert Spencer)
	(1820-1903) British author, economist, philosopher
Source:	1850
Categories:	Citizenship, Education, Government, Institutionalism, Obedience, Oligarchy, Utopian, Children
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