Is the Public Education system to blame for the present Governments predicament ?

[whitewave]

One of the qualities that the Public School system seem to be very good at is installing in their inmates is a sense of self belief in one's ability, no bad thing if there is a sense of balance. On the negative side children removed from their parents at a tender age, cannot hope to develop so well emotionally as those who remain within the family unit. The problem it seems to me when considering our current government is that this emotional immaturity accompanied with an inflated self belief in their ability, overrides an individuals awareness of their actual ability. Unfortuately this is clearly in evidence as we watch Mr Cameron, throwing his toys out of his pram, (taking the form of unpleasant remarks, amongst others) when he is made to do something he doesn't want to do(return to parliament answer questions) or is critisised by the opposition, this together with so many decisions by the governement that have subsequently been withdrawn, or muddled through.

There were just as many public-school educated ministers under Blair. Would you say we were better governed from 1997 to 2004?

Public school starts at 13+. By then most boys will have absorbed their family values. IME that, rather than the school, has more to do with individual boys' ego and maturity. No direct experience of what the current Government were like at school though, they are all too young.

Maybe whitewave has a point, flatpackhamster - there was an awful lot of inflated self-belief in the last government, too. Tony Blair was so inflated with his self-belief, I'm amazed he never burst.

Since when does prep school not count as the preparation ground for public school?

We have had a few state school educated PMs: Wilson, Heath, Callaghan, Thatcher and Major. Are you saying they were inherently better?

rabbit prep usually starts about 8+ and most nowadays are not boarding. By 8+ you can see the parent in the child. At state and independent schools.

My db's prep school worked very hard to squash the parents out of him.

Perhaps it is the effect of power, and it is the rare person who can restrain themselves?

I'm sure your DB had the ultimate defence of withdrawing his son.

My parents have always felt they withdrew him too late.

I think it is the effect of power. There is absolutely nothing to say that a public school boy cannot go on to become a great leader. I do think, however, public schools do prepare children for power in ways that are more likely to lead to a certain type of leadership.

What a nasty OP. Do you really think that toffs are some sort of 'other', an inhuman sub-species that totally lack EQ?

I'm sure she thinks that no more than anyone thinks that there is an "underclass" of people who are virtually inhuman.

People who went to public school are, of course, divided off from others in many ways. We spend our lives dividing ourselves off from others, choosing who we will and won't mix with, who is and isn't a good influence.

My dh went to a public school and is lovely. He doesn't seek power, though. And we don't agree on everything in life, but wouldn't it be dull if we did?

spot on

Purits

I am afraid that you have missed the point I was exploring a couple of areas that may or may not have informed the present government. I am not talking about nor interested in class, underclass etc. I am merely trying to make sense of a government that appears to be totally inadequate. It could be that many of the cabinet were too young and inexperienced.

You weren't "exploring" anything. You were rolling out your personal prejudices to see who agreed with them.

There's a perfectly good conversation to be had about the failings of governments without cod psychology and petty class vindictiveness.

I think there's a lot of mileage in your theory whitewave What we can do about it is another matter though.

My partner went to public school and is a complete arse.

he thinks he is better than everyone else and has an extremely poor (in fact, shit) relationship with his mother.

Wow flatpack

I could use one of Mr Cameron's phrases and advise you to "calm down dear!"

Bit simplistic I think!

I think that if you had a female dominated government you'd get different strengths and weaknesses compared to a government dominated by people with degrees or people who left school at 16.

I think that politics by it's nature will be naturally alluring to narcissists and that arrogance transcends class.

crazy

Yes I take your point, however, I am not arguing about class but about a particular system that instills a self belief that appears to override a balanced view of ones ability, i.e. born to rule. If you wish to equate a particular educational system to a particular class, that is another question. I assume that children from all classes attend fee paying schools

Clegg went to a day school. Blair boarded.

I have huge faith in my own abilities and I never went to boarding school.

I wouldn't assume that all classes were at elite public schools. I went to one in the early 90s and out of 80 girls, 2 had bursaries (50% and 25%). Considering that the fees are 30k these days, that's still a lot of money that those parents had to find. It's possible that grandparents or someone else paid but 2/80 is still a tiny percentage.