He did so by appealing to the modest aspirations of the poor, middle class and university students.

ECONOMIST: South Korean politics

Mrs Maggie of Rio's Federal University counters with snapshots: she shows visitors group photographs of aspiring university students, all poor enough to have their vestibular fees waived, and asks them to pick out the blacks.

ECONOMIST: Race in Brazil

With reduced demand for university positions from bright but poor students, I would expect an influx of upper-class under-achievers to the duller Oxbridge colleges.

ECONOMIST: Letters

The British government should cease paying for the university education of able students from poor families.

ECONOMIST: Letters

University principals (vice-chancellors) and lecturers think that restoring government grants for living expenses to poor students would be a better idea.

ECONOMIST: Tuition fees

Labour says that the old system transferred money from poor taxpayers to rich students, and that the imposition of student fees will help to pay for a bigger university system.

ECONOMIST: The Scottish play