Broad, high-quality public education is intended (in part) to make sure that voters are aware of the complexities of history, law, and government. Voters are ideally aware of the context of the elections, and can concentrate their energies at the levels appropriate to their concerns. For example, school policy, street repairs, and policing are often handled by local elections, with foreign affairs and trade policy managed by the national government. Knowing the legal limitations of elected officials helps to set reasonable expectations and improves communication between the populace and their leaders. Education also helps voters learn how to verify the information they receive.
In parallel, a free press is necessary to educate voters about the trade-offs concerning specific issues, as well as possible corruption among politicians. For related reasons it is also important that government processes be as transparent as possible. Government efforts to ensure that news and mass media include only positive views should similarly be viewed with suspicion.
Overcoming media and confirmation biases takes effort, and people should be educated on the necessary steps Such steps include detailed research via authoritative experts, being aware of the bias in your own news sources, and conscious attempts to reconcile opponents' claims with your own.
If we can get people to ask in-depth questions about the how & why of policy debates, we should get more robust, reality-focused policy.
Other links in this series are below the picture.
