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The argument about paying higher tax rates is OK, but that still means 60% of the benefits of HE are accruing to the individual.
It's pretty narrow to suggest that the only benefits of HE are financial.
If I become an accountant or a civil servant or a lawyer, there's a pretty damn big benefit to society in me helping to enable a functional system of corporate audits, or a competent government executive, or an effective justice system.
(Not that we necessarily have any of those at the moment, of course, because decent education might be necessary to enable them, but it's certainly not sufficient.)
jsabine-
It's pretty narrow to suggest that the only benefits of HE are financial.
Yep, I think my post is not brilliantly phrased. The point is that even if you only look at the financial benefits to the individual, they are more than big enough for the individual to be "net up" after they pay for their own education. Gov't has a role in widening access (which is what well designed loan or grad tax schemes can do) but doesn't mean they should fund it from general taxation in the long run.
NickCJ
It's pretty regressive to select one group of kids to put into a higher earning bracket and fund it with the public purse. The argument about paying higher tax rates is OK, but that still means 60% of the benefits of HE are accruing to the individual.