Itmayindeedbeobjectedthattheeducationofchildrenisoneofthoseexpenseswhichparents，evenofthelabouringclass，oughttodefray;thatitisdesirablethattheyshouldfeelitincumbentonthemtoprovidebytheirownmeansforthefulfilmentoftheirduties，andthatbygivingeducationatthecostofothers，justasmuchbygivingsubsistence，thestandardofnecessarywagesisproportionallylowered，andthespringsofexertionandself—restraintissomuchrelaxed。Thisargumentcould，atbest，beonlyvalidifthequestionwerethatofsubstitutingapublicprovisionforwhatindividualswouldotherwisedoforthemselves;ifallparentsinthelabouringclassrecognizedandpractisedthedutyofgivinginstructiontotheirchildrenattheirownexpense。Butinasmuchasparentsdonotpractisethisduty，anddonotincludeeducationamongthosenecessaryexpenseswhichtheirwagesmustprovidefor，thereforethegeneralrateofwagesisnothighenoughtobearthoseexpenses，andtheymustbebornefromsomeothersource。Andthisisnotoneofthecasesinwhichthetenderofhelpperpetuatesthestateofthingswhichrendershelpnecessary。Instruction，whenitisreallysuch，doesnotenervate，butstrengthensaswellasenlargestheactivefaculties:inwhatevermanneracquired，itseffectonthemindisfavourabletothespiritofindependence:andwhen，unlesshadgratuitously，itwouldnotbehadatall，helpinthisformhastheoppositetendencytothatwhichinsomanyothercasesmakesitobjectionable;itishelptowardsdoingwithouthelp。
InEngland，andmostEuropeancountries，elementaryinstructioncannotbepaidfor，atitsfullcost，fromthecommonwagesofunskilledlabour，andwouldnotifitcould。Thealternative，therefore，isnotbetweengovernmentandprivatespeculation，butbetweenagovernmentprovisionandvoluntarycharity:betweeninterferencebygovernment，andinterferencebyassociationsofindividuals，subscribingtheirownmoneyforthepurpose，likethetwogreatSchoolSocieties。Itis，ofcourse，notdesirablethatanythingshouldbedonebyfundsderivedfromcompulsorytaxation，whichisalreadysufficientlywelldonebyindividualliberality。Howfarthisisthecasewithschoolinstruction，is，ineachparticularinstance，aquestionoffact。
Theeducationprovidedinthiscountryonthevoluntaryprinciplehasoflatebeensomuchdiscussed，thatitisneedlessinthisplacetocriticizeitminutely，andIshallmerelyexpressmyconviction，thateveninquantityitis，andislikelytoremain，altogetherinsufficient，whileinquality，thoughwithsomeslighttendencytoimprovement，itisnevergoodexceptbysomerareaccident，andgenerallysobadastobelittlemorethannominal。Iholditthereforethedutyofthegovernmenttosupplythedefect，bygivingpecuniarysupporttoelementaryschools，suchastorenderthemaccessibletoallthechildrenofthepoor，eitherfreely，orforapaymenttooinconsiderabletobesensiblyfelt。
Onethingmustbestrenuouslyinsistedon;thatthegovernmentmustclaimnomonopolyforitseducation，eitherinthelowerorinthehigherbranches;mustexertneitherauthoritynorinfluencetoinducethepeopletoresorttoitsteachersinpreferencetoothers，andmustconfernopeculiaradvantagesonthosewhohavebeeninstructedbythem。Thoughthegovernmentteacherswillprobablybesuperiortotheaverageofprivateinstructors，theywillnotembodyalltheknowledgeandsagacitytobefoundinallinstructorstakentogether，anditisdesirabletoleaveopenasmanyroadsaspossibletothedesiredend。Itisnotendurablethatagovernmentshould，eitherdejureordefacto，haveacompletecontrolovertheeducationofthepeople。Topossesssuchacontrol，andactuallyexertit，istobedespotic。Agovernmentwhichcanmouldtheopinionsandsentimentsofthepeoplefromtheiryouthupwards，candowiththemwhateveritpleases。Thoughagovernment，therefore，may，andinmanycasesoughtto，establishschoolsandcolleges，itmustneithercompelnorbribeanypersontocometothem;noroughtthepowerofindividualstosetuprivalestablishments，todependinanydegreeuponitsauthorization。Itwouldbejustifiedinrequiringfromallthepeoplethattheyshallpossessinstructionincertainthings，butnotinprescribingtothemhoworfromwhomtheyshallobtainit。
9。Inthematterofeducation，theinterventionofgovernmentisjustifiable，becausethecaseisnotoneinwhichtheinterestandjudgmentoftheconsumerareasufficientsecurityforthegoodnessofthecommodity。Letusnowconsideranotherclassofcases，wherethereisnopersoninthesituationofaconsumer，andwheretheinterestandjudgmenttobereliedonarethoseoftheagenthimself;asintheconductofanybusinessinwhichheisexclusivelyinterested，orinenteringintoanycontractorengagementbywhichhehimselfistobebound。