What relationship exists between education and political ideas?

A recurring theme in debates about “political education” is the effect that schools or other educational institutions have in influencing the political involvement of students. One of the theoretical objectives of education is to achieve politically active individuals. However, To what extent are education and political ideas related? And what is the nature of that relationship?

Throughout the article We are going to focus on the effects that formal education has on political life. Obviously, education encompasses much more than what happens in purely academic life, but this is a great factor to take into account. In this sense, the “political effects” that we are going to take into account in this article are: political involvement, political attitude and political knowledge.

Next, we will discuss the effects through three types of variance: (a) external variables that affect education and political ideas, (b) direct variables, and (c) indirect variables.

External variables that affect education and political ideas

At a statistical level, When we talk about modulating, external or third variables, we are referring to the external factor that causes a correlation between two variables.. For example, the number of hospitals and prisons in a city correlate, those cities that have more hospitals have more prisons, this is due to a third variable that affects both: population.

In the case of education and political ideas, there are external factors that affect these two variables, explaining part of their correlation. Within these factors, the most relevant are: cognitive abilities, personality and socio-economic level.

In the case of cognitive abilities the relationship is quite obvious. Superior verbal ability, abstract reasoning, good memory, along with other abilities, help progress in both formal education and political ability. On the other hand, cognitive abilities that are in some way opposed to the educational system in which they are developed are also the breeding ground for poor political ideas.

Regarding personality, it is important to understand that certain attitudes can affect education and political ideas. For example, all those predispositions to learning, browsing or investigating will lead to greater academic achievement and greater notions of politics.

Another key aspect is the socio-economic level, since political life and higher formal education are socially restricted domains. Many people cannot study a career because they do not have the necessary resources to do so. In the same way, those people with a low socio-economic status do not usually dedicate time to political life; either because they are expelled from it directly or because they dedicate most of their time trying to survive in precarious working conditions.

Direct variables in education that affect political ideas

Within the great variability that exists within formal education, we find that Different ways of organizing said education cause differences in what we have called political capacity. This shows us that both variables have a direct relationship between them. But what specific aspects affect this relationship? The most relevant are: the contents of the curriculum and educational values.

The contents of the curriculum can have a direct influence on the political knowledge that students acquire. For obvious reasons, the direct instruction of political concepts generates future citizens with a greater capacity for political analysis. Furthermore, the nature of these contents greatly affects the student’s political stance. That is, a political education that highlights the advantages of liberalism will probably generate people more sympathetic to this current.

Education in values ​​based on dialogue, debate and critical vision of the facts It is essential to generate a political attitude in students. Those institutions that are based on these principles correlate positively with students interested in politics. If individuals receive a closed and hierarchical education, they become accustomed to dogmas and authority that go against a critical attitude towards politics.

Indirect variables between education and political ideas

It is likely that the level of training that a person reaches ends up conditioning different aspects of their life: starting one’s working life after completing compulsory education is not usually the same as after having completed a doctorate. Many of these changes caused by education will condition the political attitude that people take. On the other hand, The most important indirect variables between education and political ideas are: social position, self-concept and the creation of opportunities..

In some way, the level of education in the eyes of society places us “above” some and “below” others. This occurs because society has a multitude of stereotypes that cause a different categorization between those with a low and high academic level. This relative social position will mean that the higher the educational level, the greater political influence, other variables being equal, the person will have.

In this sense, everything we learn throughout our academic life influences how we see ourselves. This self-concept will predispose us to categorize ourselves within the group of people who have a similar educational level to ours. In this sense, those groups where their individuals have greater academic achievement are more socially accepted within political life.

And finally, A higher educational level also usually offers a greater number of opportunities. Thus, depending on the individual opportunities of each one, there will be more or less possibilities to carry out activities of a political nature.

The relationship between education and political ideas can be seen from many points of view. But all of them provide us with essential information to ensure that there are politically active and highly competent people in our society. AND The first perhaps is to ensure that politics is not restricted to a social or economic level.; In this way, political systems are more likely to be more representative and serve the general interests of the people as a whole.

You might be interested…