20/11/2004 12:49:08 pm
In the Lion?s Den. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that I went into the lion?s den yesterday afternoon. The Swedish National Union of Students, based on compulsory membership for Swedish students, arranged a conference with the sole purpose of protecting the government?s monopoly on higher education in Sweden. They are starting a national campaign against private initiatives, mainly private financing. My view is that freedom of establishment and free financing should be allowed. That would create freedom of choice and competition, and we would have universities and educations that are now prohibited - and, not least, larger total resources for higher education.
In the debate yesterday, in front of some 100 persons, four persons were part of the anti-campaign and we were two on the other side. The arguments for keeping today?s extreme system - government monopoly - were poor, and in some cases just embarrassing.
"The alternative to government monopoly is that the persons with rich parents get to study", was one argument from Britt-Marie Danestig, representing the Post-Communists in the Parliament. Wrong. The main way to pay for an education with a tutition fee - if you choose that - would be more loans. Why should she be able to prohibit that for young people that want to invest in their future?
Tobias Smedberg, chairman of the hosting organisation, said that private financing is bad and that there are other ways to increase funding for higher education. Despite me asking three times, there was no example. If you keep the government monopoly, you have to take money from other public services such as elderly care or police - and that won?t happen.
The debate was intense and inspiring. And, I hope, it was clarifying enough to de-mobilise somewhat before their - in essence - student-hostile campaign.