The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Paris, 10 December 1948. Article 26 Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Universal Declaration of Human Rights | United Nations As you can see from above, the right to an education is universally recognized as fundamental. But more than that, it seems important that it be mandatory. I heard because it is necessary for you mental and intellectual development. Is that true? How does that work? Also up until the early 20th Century in the western world, most people were illiterate. How did that affect society? Are we better off now that most of us can read and do math? How would society be if we couldn't?
