Soixante-huitards examining the new assertiveness of British students will be retreating to their Marcuse in disarray. Far from feeling alienated by a capitalist system it wishes to overthrow, this generation is more concerned to exercise its rights as consumers.

After decades of fee-free study, students now pay up to £3,225 a year. As recent campaigns in Bolton and Manchester show, they are demanding performance for this outlay, even marking down lecturers whose provision of academic services they deem inadequate.