Without Virtue, Liberty Cannot Survive

The real business of a King's education must include honor. To transform society, we must transform self.

Class at King's
Home News & Events Stories

We talk much about honor at The King’s College. We don’t like to cajole or coerce students into behaving well. We see this as a waste of time and energy. Instead we strive to treat students like the morally responsible agents that they are. We invite them to join us, the faculty and staff, on a journey toward discovering what it means to be fully human.

But, wait, isn’t the King’s mission about transforming society? Why don’t we dispense with all the honor jabber and get on with the real business for which we are here?

Virtue is real business. When it comes to transforming society, virtue is paramount. William Damon, member of Hoover Institution’s Virtues of a Free Society Task Force, observes, “The future of every society depends upon the character development of its young.” In other words, the viability of the great American experiment hinges on the character of those under the age of 20.

The founding fathers concurred. John Adams, in a letter penned in 1776 to his great uncle, argues: “Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but… the only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our people in a greater measure than they have it now, they may change their rulers, and the forms of government, but… they will only exchange tyrants and tyrannies.” Morality is the foundation of democracy. Deconstruct virtue and tyranny will reign supreme.

So the real business of a King’s education must include honor. To transform society, we must transform self. And the earlier that happens, the better. To again quote Damon: “It is in the early years of life—the first two decades especially—when basic virtues that shape character are acquired. Although people can learn, grow, and reform themselves at any age, this kind of learning becomes increasingly difficult as habits solidify over time.”

During the four years students are at King’s, we want to help them develop moral habits (e.g. honesty and courage), knowing that these habits have staying power.

Transform society? By all means. But we must also transform ourselves. We will not achieve the former unless we undertake the latter. This is why we make much of honor at King’s.


View more stories about: