Education and the Politico economic Institutions
In earlier societies: education was not closely tied to the politicocconornic institutions. In large empires. some education was needed for scribes, tax collectors, and other officials, but that was about all. In medieval Europe, only the church was closely connected to the school. Books were so expensive that only the affluent could own them. Aside from some poor boys who became priests, only the sons of the elite attended the universities. “Dangerous” (i.e., other than religious) ideas were no threat, for those who were able to, toy with them were so tightly locked into the system of privilege that they would be unlikely to challenge it. Higher education was not very important to the state or the economic system and was generally allowed fo play out its harmless games undisturbed. All this is. changed. Aside from religious .censorship, ‘systematic efforts to censor or suppress some ideas began when printing presses .could distribute them widely among the people. Education everywhere today is cultivated, used, feared, and to a large extent controlled by the’ politico economic institutions
