In an opening talk at the conference here in Cape Town, we learned the history of the University of the Western Cape. It was started by the apartheid government in order to create a class of colored intellectuals who would support the idea of racial separation. Instead, the faculty at the university became “implacable foes” of the apartheid government, which continued to fund the university on the basis of the number of students graduated.
One thought on “Maintaining political power: don’t start a university”
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Another example of an institution working against the wishes of its founder is the Wharton School; although it is now an almost entirely pro-free-trade institution it was originally founded by Joseph Wharton to educate students on the benefits of protectionism and dangers of free trade.