The Independent newspaper recently carried a provocative but well founded article by the research director at the Sutton Trust, who pointed out that Barack Obama is the product of an elite private education and that any British Obama would need to follow a similar educational route if he were to aspire to be prime minister. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/higher/lee-elliot-major-a-british-obama-would-need-an-elite-education-1035966.html I agree that the road to joining the establishment is largely restricted to those who pass through the right schools and the right universities.
However, to pose a very old question, does this arrangement make for a good society? I think the limitations to this system will be seen quickly in the case of Obama himself. The fairy tale will peak on January 20th 2009 with his coronation. The news coverage will be pure Disney – the poor mixed race boy who by sheer hard work and talent rose from humble origins to the highest office in the land. An example to all, anyone can succeed if they try hard enough. Unfortunately, the day after he takes the throne then the problems will start, not least, how to construct the “and they all lived happily ever after” ending. This fairy tale has been sold to the American people on the basis that his election will not just herald the good society for Obama but for everyone else as well. So, when this fails to happen, as it will fail, the disappointment will embitter sections of American society for a generation.
During the election I thought one of the best turns of phrase I heard, was from Bill Clinton, when he said that the world had always been more impressed by the force of the USA’s example than the example of its force. However, I think this is less true than it was. During the 20th century I can well believe that for most people in most countries their dream was to live in a society that was like the USA. For us in the first world, that dream came true, we are now all living a version of America but there are signs that many people are increasingly disillusioned, as for many, equality of opportunity isn’t real.
This is an element in the on-going Greek riots, where many young people clearly have no faith in the democratic and meritocratic society in which they live. Many of the rioters are young graduates who have found that their higher education has not brought them advancement or opportunity, however hard they worked. To what extent it is possible to improve the system and restore their faith, will in my opinion, be the recurring question for social policy during the first part of the 21st century, not only in southern Europe but also in the USA and the UK. However, I suspect that any credible answer to this will have to include breaking up that elitist path that Obama trod to the White House.
