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My John Locke Essay Submission 2025

Oct 8

5 min read

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Question 4: Since 1920, twenty-one presidents and prime ministers from nine countries have been graduates of Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE) at Oxford. Would it have been better if they had studied history?

Here was my submission:

In September 2022, Liz Truss became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Barely a month later, she resigned from her post, making her the shortest-serving leader in British history. Her poor leadership decisions plunged the economy into crisis, where the pound’s value plummeted, government bond yields soared, and it took months for the country to recover. Clearly, her studies of PPE at Merton College, Oxford did not seem to serve her well; perhaps if she had studied Gordon Brown’s stabilisation of the 2008 financial crisis in a History course instead, she would have held onto power longer and more effectively.

PPE, which includes the subjects Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, looks at different branches of political philosophers ranging from Aristotle to Thomas Hobbes to Karl Marx, which could be of interest to somebody wishing to follow a political career. However, there is simply not enough time to complete the PPE curriculum in thorough detail because it covers three subjects of great depth over just three years. The teaching for each subject is introductory and surface-level, an inevitability with only a third of the time compared to a single-subject degree. When content quantity is valued over quality, students do not actually graduate with anything greater than superficial knowledge, which may explain why Liz Truss was disastrous in managing the economy even though she studied Economics as part of her Oxford PPE course.

Reading PPE also instills a biased education from the elites’ perspective instead of the more holistic education received in other humanities subjects like History. PPE focuses on the elites, including world leaders, philosophers, and academics, while History focuses more on the lives of the everyday person and society more generally. This fosters qualities like empathy and a better understanding of how historical events and governmental policies affected and influenced the lives of the average person in the country. This is far more important in becoming a good leader. For example, Prime Minister and fellow Oxford PPE graduate David Cameron initiated austerity measures in 2010, which meant that the government cut funds on public services and social welfare programs. It also cut taxes, mostly benefiting the rich. Not only did this fail to reduce unemployment or stimulate growth, but it also worsened inequality and poverty for the most vulnerable in society. This is due to the rich individuals not even needing the surplus of funds which came from the tax cuts, so they would rather save it up or use only part of it for investment rather than directly spending it and growing the economy. However, those who were most vulnerable in society suffered immensely from the cuts to public welfare and government spending. What David Cameron should have done is give more money to the poor or increase funding the social welfare programs and public services. That way, the poor would use the money, which leads to more economic growth under the Keynesian theory of economics.

Compare this to Gordon Brown, who studied History at university before he had to navigate the 2008 financial crisis as the UK Prime Minister. He implemented a variety of financial measures to stabilise the Pound’s value, including a bank rescue package, saving the British economy and more importantly, helping many vulnerable individuals who lost their life savings. The contrast between these two Prime Ministers shows that empathy and a bottom-up understanding of society is crucial. Even though Brown never officially studied Economics, his response to an even larger economic crisis was far more successful.

A third reason why those who study PPE usually make for bad leaders is the entitlement and arrogance that the degree usually cultivates. PPE is not just a degree, but also a powerful brand name. It is often seen as a free ticket to elite posts in politics, media, the civil service, and many other industries. Because the degree is highly prestigious, especially when combined with the very powerful institution of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, this means that those who study it are often led to believe that they are somehow entitled to be the leader of a country. From the moment students enter the program, they are surrounded by a culture that suggests they are being trained for leadership. The message this sends is that the students are the best and brightest and are uniquely equipped to run the country because they have been trained in “how the world works.” One example is David Cameron, who called the Brexit referendum in 2016 because he was overconfident that his side would win. History proved him wrong, again demonstrating the pride often seen in Oxbridge PPE graduates. Another example is Tony Abbott, who was Prime Minister of Australia and who had also studied PPE at Oxford. Abbott was heavily criticised for his handling of climate change, during which he scrapped the carbon tax, his inhumane offshore detention refugee policies and his very polarising and arrogant style of politics. He was expelled from his own political party after just two years, showing how unpopular he was.

The elitism PPE cultivates for future world leaders shows the importance of humility. As a leader, one often makes mistakes and requires the expertise of other people. One example is Winston Churchill, who served as Prime Minister in the U.K. throughout the Second World War. Even though he never studied History formally, he was an avid historian and wrote many books on historical events, military campaigns and empire. His strategic thinking during WWII was famously shaped by his historical knowledge alongside his respect for the lessons of the past. He was humble and sought advice from ministers around him, instead of blindly pursuing a course of action (like Cameron) even against the advice of others.

Other than humility, one of the key factors why studying History is so important is that it enables leaders to learn from and to avoid repeating mistakes. History has a sense of caution, teaching that progress is not inevitable, that democracies can and do collapse, and that charismatic leaders can remake institutions from within. For example, studying the rise of fascism through Adolf Hitler’s ascent to power is critical to understanding the ways in which democratic guardrails can be broken down, including press freedoms and legal independence. It further shows how economic instability, political polarisation and discriminating against minorities can be exploited by certain leaders to ensure total control. This is a lesson that is particularly relevant in the current political climate.

In conclusion, PPE is often seen as the best degree for future leaders, but its reputation conceals some serious problems beneath the surface. The PPE course is too broad and does not go deeply enough into any one subject; it additionally creates a sense of arrogance, making students believe they are destined to rule. Because PPE focuses on theory and elite thinkers, it can disconnect students from real life and everyday people. By contrast, studying History helps leaders become more thoughtful and careful. It teaches important lessons from the past and shows how bad decisions can lead to serious consequences for governments and countries. Leaders like Gordon Brown used this kind of knowledge to guide the country through crises. History instills empathy, caution and respect for the people you serve. This is why the 21 presidents and Prime Ministers who have graduated from Oxford PPE would have been better leaders if they had studied History instead. While it may be true that PPE can be more important to politics, one must recognise that history repeats itself. If you want to understand the future, you must go back and study the past.