The Popes and Democracy - Part III. On the Effects of Modern Ideas 29. Equality and Education

Culture is the work of a few outstanding figures who rise above the general mass of the people. Civilisation is the tangible expression of culture, and it presupposes that the masses work in conformity with the patterns of culture set by the few. Culture, too, presupposes an awareness of spiritual and moral values, and is the sum total of the independent thinking of the few. From these two points, it follows that true civilisation is not possible when the masses do not follow the few but themselves set the pattern of things to be; or, again, when the few are no longer independent thinkers and lose the sense of the spiritual. A technological civilisation is not a civilisation worthy of the name because a man may be a scientist without being cultured. A democratic civilisation is not a civilisation worthy of the name, because the pattern of things to be is set by the masses instead of the few. In a society where popular sovereignty and equality are regarded as essential, the leadership of the few is either non-existent, or it is exercised only on a plane which is most easily grasped by the masses, namely, the material plane, the realm of technology. In such conditions, civilisation does not progress, it deteriorates; and our concept of society is false. "True progress can only be achieved by the return of numerous and influential people to a true concept of society." (Pius XII - Christmas 1942) Either explicitly, or implicitly, this excerpt fully vindicates, what has just been said: 1) We are not truly progressing now. 2) Leadership must come from above. 3) Our present concept of society is false. St. Pius X said much the same thing, although in a different form: "Our predecessor (Leo XIII) stigmatised a certain democracy which goes to such lengths in its wickedness as to give sovereignty to the people, and which presses for the suppression of classes and for their levelling down." ("Our Apostolic Mandate") Modern educational systems illustrate this two-fold error: popular sovereignty and equality. The schools of today seem to be dedicated to the mass production of mediocrities. Promising children are held down to the level of the "majority" because we are not so much concerned with the formation of elites as with giving secondary education to every child. If a child shows personality, he is a "freak", he must "adjust" to his environment. A child must above all become a "useful citizen", that is to say, he must conform to the concept of an egalitarian society, and not outshine his school mates. The team spirit above all! In the overemphasis given to sports, the "team" is paramount, and sports which are strictly individual do not receive the same encouragement. In the curriculum, cultural subjects such as Latin or grammar are increasingly being superseded by science subjects. That the citizen of tomorrow may be unable to express himself clearly does not seem to matter so long as he is able to contribute to technological progress. In this way, better cars will be built, faster planes will be made, better bombs will be designed and, undoubtedly, this will bring happiness to all and sundry ... Such is the superstition of our technolatrous civilisation, a godless, materialistic superstition, which is instilled into the minds of our children by our secular educational system. Popular sovereignty has even infiltrated some of our schools (especially in the USA) where children are asked what subjects they want to study. Popular sovereignty, equality, uniformity, quantity, are all inter-related when closely examined. They warp the true purpose of education.