The Cost of Compromise: How the Decline in Educational Standards Erodes Societal Stability

Abstract Book of the 9th International Academic Conference on Teaching, Learning and Education

Year: 2025

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The Cost of Compromise: How the Decline in Educational Standards Erodes Societal Stability

Jakub Szuman

ABSTRACT:

Education is not merely a transmission of knowledge but the foundational process by which societies reproduce values, foster civic responsibility, and equip future generations to maintain and improve their collective well being. This paper argues that there is a direct correlation between the quality of a society and the quality of its education system. When educational standards are weakened – whether through political compromise, under funding, or ideological interference – the deterioration of societal structures often follows in lockstep.

Using a hybrid approach that combines theoretical analysis with international case studies, this paper explores how systemic compromises in education contribute to broader social decline. Drawing from comparative research and global datasets (e.g. PISA, OECD, UNESCO), the study demonstrates that diminished educational quality correlates with increased populism, loss of critical reasoning skills, reduced civic trust, and democratic instability.

Six case studies are examined: Finland (as a positive benchmark), the United States, South Africa, Hungary, Poland, and historical Germany (Weimar to Nazi era). These cases highlight how educational strength or erosion can either insulate or expose societies to populist ideologies and social fragmentation.

The analysis also acknowledges complexities and counterexamples, but ultimately argues that educational integrity is a key predictor of societal resilience. The paper concludes with policy recommendations aimed at reinforcing education systems as a bulwark against social and political decline.

Keywords: civic engagement; critical thinking; education policy; populism; social cohesion