--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In an ideal world, of course, we would…" description: "\"In an ideal world, of course, we would still be arguing for free education. If I was starting with a blank sheet of paper, I would have system that was..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/wes-streeting-4857_arguing_in-an-ideal-world-of-course-we-would-sti_3076054.jpg" --- # In an ideal world, of course, we would still be arguing… ![“In an ideal world, of course, we would still be arguing for free education. If I was starting with a blank sheet of paper, I would have system that was funded by progressive taxation where graduates aren't making that contribution. But we don't live in an ideal world.” quote by Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/wes-streeting-4857_arguing_in-an-ideal-world-of-course-we-would-sti_3076054.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/wes-streeting-4857_arguing_in-an-ideal-world-of-course-we-would-sti_3076054.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/wes-streeting-4857_arguing_in-an-ideal-world-of-course-we-would-sti_3076054.jpg) > “In an ideal world, of course, we would still be arguing for free education. If I was starting with a blank sheet of paper, I would have system that was funded by progressive taxation where graduates aren't making that contribution. But we don't live in an ideal world.” [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideal policies for free education clash with real‑world political and economic constraints, requiring pragmatic solutions. **In simple terms:** Ideal education ideas meet real‑world limits. Key Takeaway Balance idealism with practicality. Themes education policy idealism pragmatism Mood analytical optimistic Type policy philosophical When to use this quote - government budgeting - education reform - public debate Key Concepts taxation public funding social equity Questions to Reflect On - What compromises are acceptable for education? - How can progressive taxes be implemented fairly? A Different Perspective Idealism can overlook unintended consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Free education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-education/) [Ideal world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideal-world/) [Progressive tax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progressive-tax/) [Progressive taxation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progressive-taxation/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“What did trust, cooperation, progressive taxation and the interventionist state bequeath to western societies in the decades following 1945? The short answer is, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/what-did-trust-cooperation-progressive-taxation-and-the/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [The philosophy underlying the system of progressive taxation is that the income and wealth of the well-to-do classes can be freely tapped. What the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-philosophy-underlying-the-system-of-progressive-taxation-is-that/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Progressive taxation can offset the effect of growing inequality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/progressive-taxation-can-offset-the-effect-of-growing-inequality/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [Yeah, I am in favor of migration. But I am also in favor of education. But at the same time, I am in favor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-piketty/yeah-i-am-in-favor-of-migration-but-i-am-also-in-favor-of-education/) [Thomas Piketty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-piketty/) > [Many argue that graduates earn a 'premium' because of their education, and should have to pay their way. I agree, and that's why I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/many-argue-that-graduates-earn-a-premium-because-of-their-education/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [You know what isn't class warfare? 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Unemployment, for them, is twice the national average. According…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-majority-of-my-generation-decides-to-move-back-in-with-their/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## More by Wes Streeting > [I grew up in poverty as a child, my parents had me when they were very young. They didn't have money growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/i-grew-up-in-poverty-as-a-child-my-parents-had-me-when-they-were-very/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [We need to be clear - leaving the single market will put trade and jobs at risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/we-need-to-be-clear-leaving-the-single-market-will-put-trade-and-jobs/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [I see myself as part of an LGBT community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/i-see-myself-as-part-of-an-lgbt-community/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [Unless we face the future with answers to the real and dangerous challenges facing our country and our world we risk becoming a cautionary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/unless-we-face-the-future-with-answers-to-the-real-and-dangerous/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [There has always been a problem with elements of the left, particularly the far left, who revel in their self-righteousness, who love telling voters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/there-has-always-been-a-problem-with-elements-of-the-left/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [A majority of voters in a majority of constituencies voted to leave the E.U. I wish it wasn't so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/a-majority-of-voters-in-a-majority-of-constituencies-voted-to-leave/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [The weakness of traditional canvassing is that it prevents a real conversation with people who are, on the whole, less tribal and more discerning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/the-weakness-of-traditional-canvassing-is-that-it-prevents-a-real/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [Jeremy Corbyn and Keir Starmer are quite right to call for a Brexit that puts jobs first, and to hold ministers to account for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/jeremy-corbyn-and-keir-starmer-are-quite-right-to-call-for-a-brexit/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [We need to learn to live with Covid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/we-need-to-learn-to-live-with-covid/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [As someone who won both a Council seat and a parliamentary seat from the Tories, I know better than most how much well-resourced campaigns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/as-someone-who-won-both-a-council-seat-and-a-parliamentary-seat-from/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [The Conservatives have their own racist demons to confront: from the immigration policy that brought us the Windrush scandal to appalling Islamophobia at every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/the-conservatives-have-their-own-racist-demons-to-confront-from-the/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [After Brexit referendum, our country faces major challenges. Risks to the economy and living standards are growing. The public is split.The government is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/after-brexit-referendum-our-country-faces-major-challenges-risks-to/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [The vast majority of Labour members are decent people, but I think there is a small number of anti-Semites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/the-vast-majority-of-labour-members-are-decent-people-but-i-think/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [On housing, education and skills, health and social care, transport and economic development, local government is better placed to make decisions in the interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/on-housing-education-and-skills-health-and-social-care-transport-and/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [I'm not sure how many of George Osborne's constituents in Cheshire read the London Evening Standard, but they will surely feel aggrieved that their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/i-m-not-sure-how-many-of-george-osborne-s-constituents-in-cheshire/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) [Explore all 105 Wes Streeting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In an ideal world, of course, we would still be arguing for free education. If I was starting with a blank sheet of paper, I would have system that was funded by progressive taxation where graduates aren't making that contribution. 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