o;. for all the lip-service we pay to the idea of equality, we do not consider this worong in the western world. private schools which offer unfair advantages over state schools are not banned because one of the principles in a democracy is that people should be free to choose how they will educate their children. in this way, the new meritocracy can perpetuate itself to a certain extent: an able child from a wealthy home can succeed far more rapidly than his poorer counterpart. wealth is also used indiscriminately to further political ends.

　　in societies wholly dedicated to the principle of social equality, privileged private education is forbidden. but even here people are rewarded according to their abilities. in fact, so great is the need fro skilled workers that the least able may be neglected. bright children are carefully and expensively trained to become future rulers. in the end, all political ideologies boil down to the same thing: class divisions persist whether you are ruled by a feudal king or an educated peasant.