The worldwide phenomenon of rising national and ethnic interest has manifested itself in the demand for bilingual education in North America and in the struggles over language usage, bilingualism, and the sense of nationhood in developing countries. In this context, some attempts at national solutions of the problem are discussed and the practicalities and dilemmas of bilingual education are outlined. Bilingual education issues in western societies are examined against the background of the social and political issues related to language usage in developing countries. Underlying the bilingual education question are issues that involve ethnicity, social class, and poverty, and the principles regulating life and opportunity in western societies. Some of the questions examined are: (1) the fact that non-English speaking groups in both England and America are generally poor; (2) the difficulty of establishing objectives and the shortage of revenues; and (3) the magnitude of the social problem. Attempts made in Toronto, New York, San Diego, and Salt Lake City to deal with bilingual education programs are examined. It is pointed out, in conclusion, that the purpose of the paper was to lay bare the issues and dilemmas and to show that what looks like a language issue is actually one aspect of deep-seated cultural and social problems. (AMH)