The Consistency of Education & Politics; Critical Analysis of Virtuism, Powerism & Critical Theories

The main aim of this research is identifying and evaluation of views about the problem of the compatibility of education and politics. To do this, we explain and formulate how education and politics relate to each other in terms of virtuism, powerism, and critical theory. To do this, we use, the means-end model in a broad sense, and also the structure-function binary in explanation of the State alongside the Spragens's Crisis theory. This study shows that three main streams are related to the philosophy of society and could be considered as a response to making compatible education and politics.: 1- "Virtuism"; with a central focus on the functional aspect of the State, the instrumental attitude to power and politics in the direction of realization of goodness and superiority (Plato, Aristotle, and some Muslim philosophers); 2- "Powerism"; with the view of the power as the intrinsic value, mainly in the form of a modern State (structure) and an instrumental attitude to education (Sophism, Hobbes and Locke); 3- Critical theory; by criticizing the structural aspect of the State and sometimes emphasizing the struggle, while adhering to the value of power (Frierre and Carnoy). In this paper, based on the analysis, comparison, and critique of these theories, we prefer to develop an alternative version of virtuous State in the line of the Islamic perspective. We conclude that changing the meaning of education and politics and distribution of power is the solution for the incompatibility between education and politics.