France's Mandatory Philosophy Exam Stands Alone Among OECD Nations

On June 15, France administered its baccalauréat philosophy exam to roughly 500,000 high school students—a compulsory rite of passage since 1809. Most OECD countries treat philosophy as elective or optional. France's model reflects a republican conviction that critical reasoning is civic infrastructure. Whether that produces measurably better civic engagement remains unresolved, but the requirement has survived decades of reform pressure.