A consistent finding of research on education’s civic effects is that it fosters liberalism, respect, tolerance, and social responsibility. The growth of educational participation, according to this view, has helped to extend these values throughout society. From Sidney Almond and Gabriel Verba to Steven Pinker and Christina Hoff Sommers, from David Hume to Amy Gutmann, from Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Sowell, thoughful analysis of the basis of liberal society has suggested that education is a fundamental source of enlightened civilisation. Yet education has also, much more recently, been seen as a source of division – as arousing anger among those who have little of it. Writers such as David Goodhart have then speculated that this education divide is a potential explanation of various kinds of populist rebellion against educated liberal elites. The lecture will consider survey evidence that might cast light on these recent debates, asking whether education remains the basis of democracy or whether, on the contrary, it might threaten the social homogeneity without which democracy cannot survive.