> What is the purpose of "society with refined members" when majority of these members need to do thinking-free, menial jobs?
Enough culture to recognise a demagogue when they see one? Enough basic scientific knowledge to avoid falling into wellness scams and understand how climate change works? In a democracy, a well-educated people is absolutely required. You don’t need to apply all of your knowledge in your daily work; it does not mean acquiring it was a waste of time.
> This is how Soviet Union ended. "Workers and peasants" were 100% OK with Communism. It's the educated masses who were too educated and did jobs that did not justify their qualification, and lived in deep poverty, ended it.
The problem with the Soviet Union was not too much education. It is also a strange example to pick when arguing about democracies.
In a democracy, people who don't depend on the government, but other way around, are absolutely required. It doesn't matter if they are much educated or not - when they vote with their money, NOT for "free" money they get from government, everyone gets very rational. And universal higher education doesn't help with that.
And Soviet Union is a good example because a democracy would fare worse in same conditions. Soviets could apply unlimited violence to keep people in check, democratic government can't do that.
It's the same argument that was used to restrict voting to landowners. It's a fallacy. Lots of people are careless or misguided even with their money and there is no indication that rich people, who are those that can afford unsubsidised higher education, are better at running a country than poorer ones. And even if that were not the case, you don't spend public money like a family budget.
I am not quite sure how rewriting history somehow validates your argument. The USSR was in a very specific situation and you'll never know how a democracy would have fared. In all likelihood, a democracy would not have ended up in that specific situation anyway.
Enough culture to recognise a demagogue when they see one? Enough basic scientific knowledge to avoid falling into wellness scams and understand how climate change works? In a democracy, a well-educated people is absolutely required. You don’t need to apply all of your knowledge in your daily work; it does not mean acquiring it was a waste of time.
> This is how Soviet Union ended. "Workers and peasants" were 100% OK with Communism. It's the educated masses who were too educated and did jobs that did not justify their qualification, and lived in deep poverty, ended it.
The problem with the Soviet Union was not too much education. It is also a strange example to pick when arguing about democracies.