Education: The Democracy Factor Throughout human history, almost every major event has been affected by the type of authority involved. The ancient Egyptians were oppressed by an absolute ruler and saved by the hope of freedom. World War I and World War II were largely affected by political and personal ideals. The September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were fueled by extremist rage against America's "bad" capitalist and pro-democratic beliefs. The factor that determines the level of democracy or authoritarianism in a country is the average education level of its citizens. More specifically, the less educated citizens are, the more authoritarian the government will be. As they are on completely opposite sides of the spectrum, France and North Korea can show through their history and current events that education is the essential foundation of a country's degree of authoritarianism or democracy. What is education? Authoritarianism is defined as “expecting or requiring people to obey rules or laws, not allowing personal freedom” (Merriam-Webster). Democracy: “an organization or situation in which everyone is treated equally and has equal rights” (Merriam-Webster). Both sets of ideals, actions and beliefs are ultimately decided by education. What is education and what does it mean for a person to be educated? If we think about the traditional sense of education that includes math, science, and languages, North Korea, which holds a "Freedom House" score of 7 (the most authoritarian score possible), might appear to be the most educated country. While France and North Korea have literacy rates above 99% (World by Map), the educational process is held to a much higher standard among the world's citizens. Ideas and knowledge of other cultures led to the eventual democratization of France. Unfortunately, the history and current state of North Korea show that citizens will not learn what true freedom is in the near future. Education leads to revolution and revolution leads to government of the people. But ultimately, simply being informed about the possibilities and promises of freedom does not guarantee democracy. This statement applies to any factor that could be cited in favor of democracy, whether it is the distribution of wealth or racial diversity. Achieving democracy requires courage and the will to stand up for what every human being deserves. Governments do not become democratized without a little help from their citizens. Once people learn what they could have and what is possible, courage will always follow..