The Politics of B-School

Question

Which schools have a culture that noitceably rests at one side of the political spectrum (whether it is due to the professors or fellow students)?

Stereotypical examples (no idea if these are actually true, especially at the b-school level):

Notre Dame - Conservative
Berkeley - Liberal

eminent · Answer

I think the overwhelming majority of the top 15 schools lean left.

adude · Answer

Yale will be taking a big right-ward shift if I end up enrolling.

PBateman · Answer

Is this due to the presence of the undergrad institution and its students, the communities, etc.? I don't know much about schools other my own UG, so I'd be curious about those factors as well, but what I really am interested in are the political tendencies of the students and professors of the business school itself.

3underscore · Answer

Of business schools? You have *got* to be kidding.

eminent · Answer

Well, this is a very subjective call.

Do the business schools tend to lean more left than their parent institutions? No, definitely not.

Do top 15 MBA students, alums, and professors tend to lean left more so than the broader business community and the private sector? I would say yes, without a doubt.

PBateman · Answer

What I was hoping for was current/former students to just pretend the business school they attended was a bubble with other students and professors. Where did the culture fall on the political spectrum?

XYZ School - {Conservative, Even Split, Liberal}

Jerz · Answer

From what I've seen, at least at Kellogg, there's a pretty good mix of political leanings - both among the students and the faculty. But, just like in real life, most people don't fit neatly into right-left stereotypes. Most educated people's belief systems are a lot more complex than can be summed up in one word.

To be honest, I'm not really sure why this matters. For the most part, politics just doesn't come up all that often in discussion, and professors do a good job of keeping politics out of the classroom (unless you're taking a policy or other course that necessarily has to discuss it).

PBateman · Answer

I think it's a fair question for those who really care about the fit of a school. I don't, so I just ask because it seemed like an interesting thing to know, like how attactive people are at certain schools. Dearth of responses though, so most people probably thought it was dumb.

:butt

YourDreamTheater · Answer

I think it's important to distinguish what exactly you mean by "leaning left" or "leaning right." Are we talking social issues? Economic issues? I don't mean to stereotype, but there may be a strict divide with many MBA-ers

egy · Answer

I think this is a critical point. I would also expect many MBAs to see economic and social issues separately, with most economically conservative (less government intervention, free trade, free market, etc.) with probably a toss up on the social side.

eminent · Answer

Great point.

Toubab · Answer

I can say that at Fuqua, while there are a number of identifiable conservatives, an overwhelming majority of folks here would identify as moderates (ex. voted for Obama). I suspect it's substantially similar at any other good school, for this reason: on average, well-educated people tend to be significantly more liberal. It's certainly not always the case, but the trend is undeniable.

Regarding the whole economic/social bent, I think that it's more a matter of pragmatism. No, there aren't a lot of communists, socialists or autarkists at Western business schools, just like there aren't many creationists in molecular biology programs - there's a self-selection bias there. People in B-school are interested in what makes sense practically. That means they like rational economic policies, just like any other reasonable person, and have a strong aversion to the religious crazies who control one party in our country...

Raabend · Answer

Most people do identify as either liberal/conservative/moderate regardless of what part of the spectrum their beliefs actually fall and I would say (from what I have seen so far) that a majority of my classmates identify as liberal or moderate. When it comes to social/economic issues not sure what the breakdown would be. However, my conservative classmates are a bit more vocal about their beliefs in social settings.....

Also note that I have run into a surprising number of politically apathetic....

Also note that I have run into a surprising number of politically apathetic....

gregarious · Answer

This is an interesting topic which had crossed my mind recently. I would probably be considered a moderate on economic and social views but I consider myself politically apathetic. I think that it would actually be cool to run into a variety of political views among the student body, but hopefully all political discourse could be done in a fairly civilized manner!

Aenigma · Answer

Interesting topic. Sounds like I'll probably have some adjusting to do!

Pre777 · Answer

BYU is overwhelmingly conservative.

nink · Answer

Speaking of politics, Fox News just signed Sarah Palin as a "contributor" on a multi year deal.

My reaction to this news:

1) I thought it was a typo at first, thinking they mistyped "Comedy Central" as "Fox News"

2) What is she gonna contribute exactly?

3) Fox needs to sign George W Bush and make a daily talk show that features Palin and Bush. And then Rupert Murdoch needs to remove "News" from the name "Fox News Channel".

PBateman · Answer

Stay classy, folks. I would've started this thread in "Off Topic" if political debate was the intended goal.

adude · Answer

I would think the more the mission of a school resembles managing/controlling other people with some social justification the school would lean left, whereas if the school was more about free markets and efficiency it would lean right. It would be interesting to see a breakdown of business schools by mission statement.

The Politics of B-School

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