Cannon fodder on standby

I watched a BBC news item the other day about the very poor standard of state education in Egypt. The item began with a group of children from a poor background chanting:

“We live for Egypt; we die for Egypt, God and our country.”

The report also described how rich Egyptian children attended good quality private schools. There was no evidence of state indoctrination at these schools.

It’s an old story. The rich children will eventually hold positions of power in politics and business. The poor, suitably indoctrinated, will eke out a living always on standby to serve as cannon fodder should circumstance dictate.