Education and Its Role in Democracy

Author: Nwanyieze Mbachu

When was the last time your parents took your phone? You were simply left without warning or an opportunity to defend yourself. This is basically life without democracy; rules are made for you, not with you. Democracy gives people a voice, and education ensures that voice is informed. Without education, democracy weakens because citizens can’t make thoughtful decisions.

Education isn’t all about trying to earn an A; it is “developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life” (dictionary.com). Democracy tends to fail if citizens are not properly informed. Mary Harrington talks about how critical thinking is becoming less common and something reserved for the rich (Harrington 2025,3). As technology continues to expand, we are not challenged to think and form our own opinions, allowing apps to think for us. This is dangerous because democracy depends on everyone being able to think critically and make thoughtful decisions. Schools that teach media literacy and critical thinking directly strengthen democracy by helping people recognize misinformation and make informed decisions.

Even if college still feels far off, it’s worth thinking about how the university you choose will prepare you to use your voice and take part in democracy. Colleges help create citizens who can engage in debates and challenge complex ideas. James Dean talks about this idea of universities providing a space for students to be able to practice democracy in real time ( Dean 2024, 2). This can be through clubs, SGA, classroom discussions, or maybe even vouching for a better grade on an assignment. College builds our future leaders who will one day be you.

When education is treated only as a path to money or grades, its deeper purpose gets lost. Unequal access to education shuts out entire groups in decision-making, weakening democracy at its core. When a complex situation, like knowing how to respond to a pandemic, arises, those with little to no education cannot navigate through data. They also won't be able to determine what is an opinion and what is a fact, or make decisions that take the good of the community into account. They might instead rely on gossip, false information, or whatever answer seems most convenient at the time. This weakens democracy and runs the risk of producing citizens who are knowledgeable enough to pass exams but unable to defend a system that provides them a voice if we do not view education as a democratic resource.

Let's think back to you getting your phone taken without warning, and the feeling you felt of not really having the power to do anything. Now take it and apply it to real life; the only difference is stakes are higher than losing your phone, you can lose your voice. Through democracy, you are allowed to shape/challenge the rules you live under, but this only matters when you understand how to use it. Education allows us to ask questions, use logic, and solve complex issues that don't always have simple solutions. I want to leave you with something to think about: How will you allow education to shape you?                         

Bibliography

Dean, James. 2024. “How Universities Can Help Strengthen Democracy | Cornell Chronicle.” Cornell Chronicle. 2024. https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2024/09/how-universities-can-help-strengthen-democracy.

Dictionary.com. 2025. “Dictionary.com.” Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com. 2025. https://www.dictionary.com/.

Harrington, Mary. 2025. “Opinion | How Smartphones Are Breeding a New Kind of Inequality.” The New York Times, July 28, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/28/opinion/smartphones-literacy-inequality-democracy.html.