SCHOOLING DOESN'T GUARANTEE GOOD CHOICES: A HISTORICAL AND ETHICAL LOOK AT POLITICAL AWARENESS

Abstract

It has become a common belief that the more people study, the more capable they are of choosing good politicians. This idea has taken root in most social classes, especially within the so-called intellectual elite. In practice, however, when analyzing the political positions of the highly educated, it becomes evident that many elect or support politicians who are, in most cases, defenders of or sympathetic to oppressive and authoritarian regimes. For instance, in 2025, Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes publicly stated: “We are all admirers of the Chinese regime, of Xi Jinping” (UOL, 2025), during a session on social media regulation. Although this is one example, countless others could be mentioned. Throughout history, there have been numerous cases of highly educated individuals supporting regimes that committed atrocities, including genocide. This demonstrates that education alone is not a guarantee of empathy, respect for diverse perspectives, or sound political choices that safeguard democracy and human rights. In this essay, I draw connections between the reflections of Paulo Freire, Hannah Arendt, Edgar Morin, John Dewey, and Martha Nussbaum, supported by data from UNESCO, PISA, and the Pew Research Center. The aim is to show that educating citizens for impartial political judgment goes far beyond the accumulation of knowledge. To develop fair and critical thinking, one must be open to dialogue and adopt a humble attitude to acknowledge mistakes and change positions when necessary. Historical and current cases demonstrate that political awareness evolves when reason, ethics, and empathy act together — and not always inside classrooms.