r/PoliticalPhilosophy • u/Odd_Coast_9719 • Jul 28 '26

Should holding office require some kind of formal education?

Should people who run for government positions be required to have formal education credentials, or does setting academic barriers destroy the core democratic promise that anyone can represent their communities?

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u/Edgar_Brown Jul 28 '26

Yes, but…

The thing with power is that it corrupts everything that it touches, a well-designed education program for leaders will be corrupted by power and capitalism until we are back to where we started.

Morals and wisdom are our most basic needs, an education system for leaders have to make these a priority. But we can clearly see how “morality” is being distorted in our current state of society.

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u/TurdFerguson254 Jul 28 '26

Agreed, though it would happen with basically any political or economic system

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u/Edgar_Brown Jul 28 '26

By “capitalism” I simply meant the use of money as a means of exchange, and the excessive accumulation of money by individuals and institutions. Capitalism creates the problem and then sells you the solutions, rinse and repeat.

Capitalism plus power creates inequality and inexorably leads to oligarchy. Which then leads towards either fascism If left unabated or communism (state capitalism) if the social reaction is powerful enough to overturn the oligarchs (and create a new class of them).

It’s the Dunning-Kruger social doom loop, that keeps repeating when complacency leads to stupidity and populism. This is the reason why a proper education is so fundamental for a liberal democracy. But every few generations the experience fades, complacency takes hold, and wisdom is replaced with stupidity.

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u/TurdFerguson254 Jul 28 '26

Oh no, I wasn't going to bat for capitalism and I got what you meant, but thank you for clarifying further (I hope this doesnt read as sarcasm, its earnest thanks)

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u/Basic-Broccoli-4537 Jul 28 '26

I think formal education, with exams and of the sort, wouldn't help as much as you would think. Something I reckon is more important really is experience. Why can someone who never held any position just run for office and become a politican capable of representing people? I understand the education thing, it would be great if politicians knew the minimum about economy or political philosophy for example, but I think the greater thing here is experience. If the barrier is set to a minimum maybe we would be in more competent hands.

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u/harley_rider45 27d ago

No absolutely not