Page 533, DBQ

During the 19th century, the leaders of many countries, Europe, the United States, and Japan in particular, decided that an expansion of educational opportunity was extremely necessary. These leaders used a variety of different causes in order to justify their push towards education.
Several of the justifications that they used were involved with society. Albertine Necker de Saussure writes in 1838 that society sees women merely as wives, and young girls as future wives, however, she says that since women can support themselves without an education, and without a man, they would have much more potential to be something more if they were educated properly (Document #1). This point of view is predictable seeing as Albertine Necker de Saussure was a woman living in the 19th century, and the fact that she was a Calvinist, believing that all souls, meaning men and women alike, are equal before God. Another reason for education was pressed by Horace Mann in 1840, saying that an educated people would create a more stable society that could better follow the law (Document #2). Horace Mann's standing on this situation is obvious because was a Secretary of the board of education in Massachusetts. In 1874, Eliza Duffy explains her reasons for spreading education. She says that women wants to learn, and that they should be treated equally, although they do not learn in the same ways that men do. She also goes on to explain that the stronger women, and the unattractive women will lead the future (Document #3). This point of view is easily determined by the fact that Eliza Duffy was a leading feminist in the 19th century. The Japanese empire's account on the spread of education is that it will bring the utmost and highest honor to Japan if their people become educated and preserve their culture (Document #4). The Japanese also feel that they need to educate themselves in order to compete with the rest of the world. A stupid country simply wouldn't function the way that they wanted it to (Document #5).
Although the leaders in different societies noticed that society itself would benefit from better education, they also noticed that the people of these societies would benefit from intellect. Albertine Necker de Saussure explained that since women had the capacity to be educated, they should, and as an educated people could serve a better purpose (Document #1). Horace Mann expressed that an educated people could keep themselves under control, and that they could lead lawful lives, seeing as they would be more aware (Document #2). Eliza Duffy said that the expansion of education into the lives of women could not be stopped, and that they have the desire to learn (Docoment #3). In Document #4, Japan feels the need to expand education because intelligence and sophistication are coupled together, and with intelligent people they would pursue the cultivation of arts. However, Japan also wants to expand intellect because they believe that eastern teachings are "saturated with confucian teachings" and they want to be on the same educational level as the west (Document #5).
In conclusion, the leaders of Europe, the United States, and Japan justified their claims for an expansion of education by saying that it would enrich their cultures, and that it would make society more lawful and acceptable.
Additional documents that would assist in this evaluation would be another document from Europe so that a more rounded view of Europe's intentions in this situation could be more attainable.