Democratic societies from the earliest times have expected
their governments to protect the weak against the strong. No ‘era of good
feeling’ can justify discharging the police force or giving up the idea of
public control over concentrated private wealth. On the other hand, it is
obvious that a spirit of self – denial and moderation on the part of those who
hold economic power will greatly soften the demand for absolute equality. Men
are more interested in freedom and security than in an equal distribution of
wealth. The extent to which Government must interfere with business, therefore,
is not exactly measured by the extent to which economic power is concentrated
into a few hands. The required degree of government interference depends mainly
on whether economic powers are oppressively used, and on the necessity of
keeping economic factors in a tolerable state of balance.
However, with the necessity of meeting all these dangers and
threats to liberty, the powers of government are unavoidably increased,
whichever political party may be in office. The growth of government is a
necessary result of the growth of technology and of the problems that go with
the use of machines and science. Since the government in our nation, must take
on more powers to meet its problems, there is no way to preserve freedom except
by making democracy more powerful.
‘Era of good feeling’ in the paragraph refer to
The purpose of education is to make the student an expert in his
subject. This must be clearly understood, and mere mudding through lessons and
lectures and books and passing examinations are relegated to secondary
importance as means to the end-which is excellence in the field chosen.
But there are so many fields, and no man can become an expert in all the
fields it is necessary to decide which fields are important ones that a man
should know well.
It is clear that one’s own work is the most important. This has been realized
and modern civilization has accordingly provided vocational education. It is
now possible to acquire high professional skill in the various fields,
medicine, engineering production, commerce and so on-but with good and bad
mixed together, and no standard for guidance.
The purpose of education is to make the student: