Oxbridge, “We Miss the Past! ”

‘Famous private school and Oxbridge do not guarantee success any more. ’

U.K weekly magazine, Economist (on 5th) selected 100 main positions that move U.K and tracked academic background of those who are in such position and how it has changed since 30 years. There was a clear ebb tide of ‘Oxbridge (Oxford and Cambridge university) ’.

100 main positions that Economist selected were 20 positions from each politics, economy, academy, specialized field and art. It investigated positions three times in 1972, 1992 and this year. As a result, people from private school were 67 in 1972, 66 in 1992 respectively, however, this year the number was 46 and those who are from Oxbridge also reduced from 52, 54 to 35.

The most remarkable field of ebb tide is economic field. All 20 were from famous private school 10 years ago and 12 were from Oxbridge among them. However, eight were from private school and only four-graduated Oxbridge this year. It is analyzed that CEO of businesses are increasing and people from public schools are growing up.

In politics, people like Prime Minister Tony Blair who went through traditional course of private school -> Oxbridge (graduated Oxford) were rare. Political leaders who even didn’t graduate were 18. Some of them graduated military school or even didn’t study university.

Unusually, leaders of Labor party who speak for labors are ‘noble’ who graduated Oxbridge like PM Blair. On the other hand, no one was from Oxbridge or private school among other party leaders besides Ion Dunkon Smith, leader of the conservative party.

The biggest victim of this research is synonymous to U.K’s private school, ‘Eton school ’. 14 were from Eton in 1972, but it reduced to 8 in 1992 and only 2 are left this year. U.K queen Elizabeth Junior was the only one, who is in an important position for 30 years and women, for the last 10 years, has increased only one, as 5 this year from 4 in 1992.

Jei-Gyoon Park phark@donga.com