“Make men wise, and by that very operation you make them free. Civil liberty follows as a consequence of this; no usurped power can stand against the artillery of opinion.”

Another great quote. Give them the tools to be wise, ethics, love, and friendship; these are all in EDUCATION... Bring back a classical education and you will start to have ethical leaders again.

It is notable that in the late 1800s the exam to pass out of primary school in Kansas was so tough that today's university graduates consistenly flunk it. Who stole the 'Little Red Schoolhouse'? The answer: John Dewey of the Rockefeller-sponsored University of Chicago. Dewey is the alleged "father of modern education" - also as a Communist-Socialist. In any event Dewey's system of education has proven to be a traitorous flop. We need a return to the quality of the Little Red Schoolhouse system!

What was Dewey's system of education - no more than 50 words, thank you

Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, etc. thought would make wisdom the application of knowledge, all such being in harmony with Nature's God and the law associated therewith. (thank you Robert & A) When the knowledge of freedom, with its supporting concepts and source, is extracted from any given society, the opinion thereof may rise to the level of a pop-gun only.

Today’s political and media definitions of freedom are empty rhetoric based on a lack of historical knowledge, cherry picking of misinterpreted facts, lies, slavery to materialism, and the power mongers’ need to control. Hollow philosophy is the shadow that has replaced substantive knowledge. There is so very little knowledge of freedom surviving in the masses, most opinions thereof are skewed to the point nonexistence.

Just don't count on government to 'make men wise' -- that is the last thing they want. Wisdom is acquired by those that never stop questioning.

Not exactly accurate, although it would be nice if it were. Firstly, deep wisdom is hard to come by and cleverness has supplanted it in our consumer driven culture. Secondly, usurped power seems more than able to hold its own against the sway of public opinion-and we don't need to look far to see a gross example of that.

So that's why government has worked so hard to breed wisdom out of the people!

"Wisdom begins with the fear of God."

Well said, E Archer. The government wants you poor, subserviant and voting. This means voting for the very incumbents that create the problems in the first place. Sort of like hiring an alcoholic as night watchmen in a liquor store.

No one can make me wise.  If I don't "wise up" on my own initiative, it's unlikely to ever happen.  16 years of compulsory 'education' did not make me wise — it was primarily a distraction and a regulation of what information I was to 'learn.  Any wisdom I have acquired has been through experience, often putting what I was taught to the test.  Lots of trials and tribulations — but they were my own, not some new hoop to jump through at school today.  I was an A student when I wanted to learn the subject.  I loved the library — I looked forward to being able to spend time there following my own train of thought and interests in science and history.

My humble opinion on gaining wisdom?  Seek the truth, whatever it is. Tell the truth — especially to yourself.  Discover the untruths in your inner monologue.  Correct your narrative.  Fess up, make amends.  Know the truth, and the truth will set you free.  ;-)