Political correctness and the economics of higher education

Purpose – It is the contention of this paper that the state of siege on the part of students against academics and administrators of the 1960s has been replaced by one led by university administrators who are now waging a war of “political correctness” against students and faculty. These administrators were in large part the radicals of the 1960s. The present paper attempts to analyze the effects of government involvement in this industry on this phenomenon and the role of free speech rights in the presence and absence of marketplace considerations. Design/methodology/approach – Discusses political correctness and the economics of higher education. Findings – The contention is that competition brings about a better product at a lower price, and that the educational sector is no exception to this general rule. If free enterprise were allowed to operate in this context, much of these difficulties would disappear. Originality/value – The paper offers insights into today's higher education industry and how economic analysis can explain the current “state of siege” on university campuses.