Originally Posted by The Times
Yesterday a group of students struck a blow. But they did not strike a blow for freedom, or for democracy, or for fairness. They just struck a blow. And shattered some glass. In the process they proved nothing, and persuaded nobody.
The economics of tuition fees are simple. As access to university rises, the bill to pay for universities rises. Someone has to pay this bill. Should it be those who benefit directly from a university education? Or should it be paid by everyone, including those who choose not to go to university or do not get the opportunity to do so?
In fact, it could be argued that yesterday’s protesters were being generous. Under current proposals it is not they who will have to pay increased fees, but the students who follow them. Any alternative would, presumably, require the protestors to chip in. Sadly, however, their true position is not one of generosity. It is one of naivety — that somehow the education will arrive without an invoice to pay.
So far, so tiresome. However, the students have more of a point when they protest against the activities of the Liberal Democrats. Nick Clegg allowed his party to adopt a profoundly unrealistic policy before the election and made promises he neither could nor should keep. It is right that the Lib Dems should pay a political price for their ludicrous posturing. And it is understandable that the inability of Mr Clegg’s party to keep his ridiculous pledge has provoked frustration and led to protest. But the fact that the broken windows were outside Conservative Party headquarters suggests that logic chopping with the Lib Dems was not really the aim of the violence.
This coalition is unlikely to be galvanised by infantile leftists prancing about hitting policemen.
Probably, however, the protesters do not really care about forming coalitions and formulating alternatives. They just wanted to run around in front of the television cameras saying: “Look at me, aren’t I clever?” No, not really.
