The idea of free public college has been a hot topic in the United States for a few years now. It gives hope to those who cannot afford college now. Those who are financially disabled would be able to receive a higher education at no cost. Free college sounds great; the workforce would increase, the economy would increase, and the United States’ rank of educated individuals would grow. A higher education is critical in the process of advancing a country’s economics. Taxation would be higher, yes, but the benefits will most definitely outweigh the costs. One’s world would expand exponentially just by the opportunity to go to college. College opens the financial doors to success, and if there is no student debt, then it is a win-win situation for everyone. Mankind cannot advance further and further if there is no education behind it. Technology would come to a standpoint, and the economy would fail. There cannot be an operating country without educated individuals running it. Looking at this debate from solely an economic standpoint, public college should be free.
All around the world, free public education is being offered right now. For example, all education including post-graduate studies in the Nordic countries is free. From 2013 in Northern Europe, Estonia started providing free higher education as well. In Argentina, Norway, and Finland, no fees apply for foreign students enrolling at a university. Acquiring a Bachelor’s degree in Norway and Denmark means that the courses will be taught in Danish or English, depending on the university. Denmark also has universal free education, and provides a monthly allowance, the "Statens Uddannelsesstøtte" or "SU", to students over 18 years of age or students who are under 18 and attending university. Greece and Argentina provide free education at all levels, including college and university. Since July 2005, the government also introduced free transport for all students. In European countries such as France and Malta, tuition is usually free for European students, and in Germany, tuition is free for all European and international students. In Scotland, tuition is free for all Scottish nationals and is discounted for all European students, except for students coming from other parts of the United Kingdom. Europe is only a part of the world that has begun this revolution of change. Bringing this modern thinking to America will allow the lesser socioeconomic families be able to go college and be sent in the right direction. Free college will keep young adults out of trouble or unemployment, which, in turn, leads to a more advanced economy.
Free public college is not a crazy idea because financially, we can afford it. The American economy is stable and rich enough where free college is a possibility. Yes, taxes would probably spike, and those taxes would differ greatly in each state, but the economic benefit is far greater than the cost. Svrluga’s argument against this idea is that freshmen and sophomore enrollment in private 4 year universities would decline, leading to an increase in tuition cost and fees. I think this idea is far-fetched and truly not one that could deter the entire country away from spending more for education. The claim is that this is a “law of unintended consequences” is too harsh; there is nothing terrible in the idea that we should send young Americans to college for free. The only “consequence” I can think of is having an over educated younger generation. Instead of spending money on a myriad of wars, Americans should put their money towards education; after all, politicians claim that education is a forefront in their campaigns. For the last 10 years, Americans spent $1.1 trillion on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, which averages to over $149 billion annually. These costs are provided for through present taxes but mostly debts piled up for future generations to pay off. Why should the future generations be subjected to paying for a war they have no remembrance or involvement with?[1]
While the US has a free K-12 public education, its failure to fund higher education means that America's economy is unable to compete with other developed nations that offer free higher education. This means that the United States cannot keep up with international trading and its deficit. However, by removing the need for students to go into debt, the government would create more productive graduates, who in turn, would have more money to spend. More money spent means a stimulated economy.
Along with funding higher education, the federal government could also keep costs in check by setting realistic ceilings on tuition increases. Tuition increases have become a huge factor in student debt over the recent years. Instead of schools spending money on pointless (debatably) features to show off their campus, universities and colleges should concentrate their resources on promoting smaller learning classrooms and employ full time faculty. Success does not happen overnight; to think that every student who attends the free public college will gain financial success right after is preposterous. Free public will provide the groundwork for the young adults who will then go out and make a difference in this economy.
