This article was originally published in Vol. 4 No. 4 of our print edition.
Years ago, I asked a former student of The International School of Geneva to speak to our current students. This amazing woman was a Jewish-Hungarian teenager during World War II. She shared her harrowing journey from Budapest to Geneva, including a terrifying few months at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. When the students asked her what kept her hopeful during those dark times, she surprised everyone by saying, “la culture.” To her, it meant the power of art and literature, which helped her endure the surrounding cruelty.
Her response illustrated what political philosopher Alan Ryan called “cultural ownership.” This feeling of belonging to a rich cultural heritage adds meaning to life. Sadly, Ryan noted that many teens today in Britain and the USA seem to lack this connection. It’s essential to understand what a “liberal education” really is and why it matters now more than ever.
Interestingly, George Steiner pointed out a paradox: some educated German leaders involved in Nazi atrocities had also received high cultural education. This sheds light on a troubling truth: a prestigious education doesn’t always lead to moral integrity. It leads us to question whether such elite programs truly make individuals better. This article will delve into the concept of liberal education—its origins, evolution, and prospects for the future.
The term “liberal education” has existed since the sixteenth century, relating to what was deemed appropriate for free individuals. Unlike vocational training, it is about fostering a well-rounded mind. Over the centuries, definitions and practices have changed, leading to various interpretations and implementations, often connected to differing political philosophies. **Can liberal education be accessible to everyone, or is it only for the elite?** I will argue that it encompasses guiding principles and should distinctly differ from modern educational practices that often stray from its foundational ideals.
Plato and Aristotle are often central figures in discussions of liberal education. Plato believed in training a small elite to manage his ideal society. He focused on ethical self-examination and the pursuit of truth. His student Aristotle expanded this idea, advocating an education that should cater to a broader group of citizens while still emphasizing active engagement with the community.
In the Roman era, the concept of the “liberal arts” took root. This included the study of grammar, logic, and rhetoric—collectively known as the trivium—along with arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy, or the quadrivium. This curriculum was crucial for the church and educational institutions that emerged during the Middle Ages. Despite its focus on very specific subjects, the classical curriculum faced criticism for its rigid methods and often harsh discipline.
The pursuit of knowledge sometimes led to rote learning, which Montaigne famously criticized. He noted that the goal should be to produce thoughtful individuals rather than merely ‘book-laden donkeys.’ Figures like Milton and Locke voiced similar frustrations, calling for more engaging and meaningful education. Yet, despite its flaws, many scholars like the Jesuit teachers successfully implemented classical education, promoting ethical thinking and creativity among students, such as Descartes and Voltaire.
By the 18th and 19th centuries, the term “liberal education” began to evolve further. While it still held value for character-building and societal functions, more emphasis on intellectual training arose. While figures like T. H. Huxley focused on knowledge alone, others, like Matthew Arnold, highlighted culture’s role in personal development. Today, contemporary writers like Alan Ryan and Martha Nussbaum discuss liberal education’s need in society, but their views on its implementation vary widely.
One pressing question is whether liberal education can exist beyond elitist circles. Historical perspectives show that this type of education was seldom extended to the working classes. With the expansion of public education after World War II, however, there were attempts to broaden access. Achieving a balance between providing a rich liberal education and addressing the needs of diverse students remains a challenge. Even in today’s community school systems, there have been noticeable shifts away from rigorous academic standards and towards a more child-centered approach, which some argue dilutes the mission of liberal education.
Concerns about educators’ focus on contemporary issues rather than a robust foundation of knowledge are echoed by writers like Vargas Llosa. Some assert that modern educational policies often neglect time-tested principles in favor of fleeting trends. Scholars like Alan Ryan stress the need for an educational foundation that encompasses cultural heritage—a universal goal that can benefit everyone, irrespective of their background.
In essence, a liberal education should focus on teaching enduring values and knowledge rather than merely responding to modern demands. It prioritizes critical thinking, cultural understanding, and ethical reasoning—skills that equip individuals to navigate complex global challenges. Such an education emphasizes traditional core subjects while adapting to contemporary societal needs.
Finally, the relationship between liberal education and liberalism is complex. While both share a focus on individual freedom, the path to achieving well-rounded, knowledgeable citizens sometimes diverges. Critics of liberalism argue that its emphasis on personal choice and autonomy can lead to fragmentation rather than unity. The future of liberal education remains uncertain amidst these tensions, but its principles continue to offer valuable lessons as we strive to cultivate thoughtful, educated citizens.
Notes
1 Alan Ryan, Liberal Anxieties and Liberal Education (Profile Books, 1999).
2 George Steiner, In Bluebeard’s Castle (Faber and Faber, 1971).
3 Dictionary entry for “liberal,” The Oxford English Dictionary (1971).
4 Nicholas Tate, What Is Education for? (John Catt, 2015).
5 Nicholas Tate, What Is Education for?.
6 Various authors, The Seven Liberal Arts in the Middle Ages (Indiana University Press, 1983).
7 Michel de Montaigne, The Essays of Michel de Montaigne, trans. Michael Screech (The Penguin Press, 1991).
8 John Milton, Of Education.
9 John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education (Clarendon Press, 1989).
10 Anthony Trollope, An Autobiography (Oxford University Press, 1928).
11 Winston Churchill, My Early Life (Thornton Butterworth, 1930).
12 The Jesuit Ratio Studiorum of 1599 (Conference of Major Superiors of Jesuits, 1970).
13 Sheldon Rothblatt, Tradition and Change in English Liberal Education (Faber and Faber, 1976).
14 Rothblatt, Tradition and Change in English Liberal Education.
15 Thomas Henry Huxley, Autobiography and Selected Essays (Riverside College Classics, 1909).
16 Matthew Arnold, Culture and Anarchy (Smith, Elder, 1869).
17 Ryan, Liberal Anxieties and Liberal Education.
18 Martha Nussbaum, Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities (Princeton University Press, 2010).
19 Anthony O’Hear, In Defence of Liberal Education (University of Buckingham Press, 2023).
20 Laurent Fedi, Promenades dans les philosophies françaises de l’éducation (Éditions Kimé, 2011).
21 Roger Scruton, in Mark Dooley, ed., The Roger Scruton Reader (Continuum, 2011).
22 Ryan, Liberal Anxieties and Liberal Education.
23 José Ortega y Gasset, Obras Completas (Santillana, 2004).
24 Mario Vargas Llosa, La civilización del espectáculo (Alfaguara, 2012).
25 Ryan, Liberal Anxieties and Liberal Education.
26 John Stuart Mill, Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of St Andrew’s (Longmans, 1867).
27 Ryan, Liberal Anxieties and Liberal Education.
28 John Gray, The New Leviathans (Allen Lane, 2023).
29 Patrick Deneen, Why Liberalism Failed (Yale University Press, 2018).
30 Maurice Cowling, Mill and Liberalism (Cambridge University Press, 1990).
31 Nussbaum, Not for Profit.
32 Marie-Claude Blais, et al., Conditions de l’éducation (Stock, 2008).
33 José Ortega y Gasset, Obras Completas.
34 Francis O’Gorman, Forgetfulness: Making the Modern Culture of Amnesia (Bloomsbury, 2017).
35 Deneen, Why Liberalism Failed.
36 University of Birmingham, General Election 2024: What’s Wrong with Asking Teachers to Supervise Tooth-brushing?
37 O’Hear, In Defence of Liberal Education.
