Marxism Flashcards
Social control AO1
Althusser- education is an ideological state apparatus- tool of the state that is used to brainwash people
As a result, proletariat fail to see their own exploitation- false class consciousness
Means they do not rebel against capitalism- they are controlled
Hidden curriculum underlies things covertly in education eg respecting your place in hierarchy (teachers)
This makes sure they comply with capitalism
Social control AO3
Functionalists would reject this as too negative
Learning the hierarchy is good for society because it encourages people to work harder to achieve status
When they work harder they contribute to society which keeps it going
Correspondence principle AO1
Bowles and Gintis- education is maintaining capitalism- keeping an unfair system going and keeping the poor in their place
- capitalism needs obedient workers that accept hard work, low pay and authority. Need to be passive and docile
School provides these skills through the Correspondence principle
Correspondence principle AO2
School mirrors workplace-
School hierarchy- head, teachers, students
Work hierarchy- CEO, manager, supervisor, workers
External rewards- grades
Work- bonuses
Competition- against each other for grades
Work- get the highest bonus
Dress codes
Secondary socialisation
Passed on norms and values of society, but these are capitalist values that benefit the bourgeoise
Eg meritocracy- pupils are taught that everyone achieves based on ability and effort
Bowles and Gintis- education system prevents people from recognising their exploitation and revelling by legitimating class inequality
Secondary socialisation AO3
Bowles and Gintis wrongly assume we all conform once we are socialized into the values of capitalism.
Working class students do not always accept the legitimacy of school or capitalist society.
The history of trade unionism and industrial action in the UK does not support the idea of worker conformity
The myth of meritocracy AO1
Success is based on class background, not ability or effort
• Education promotes this myth and in doing so helps to persuade workers that their class position is justified This means, WC students accept their place in life - filling low paid, manual roles. They don’t challenge capitalism, believing their low status is their own fault.
• Evidence shows the job an individual gets depends more on background and class
Eg private schools- higher qualifications =better jobs better pay
• Education system helps to blame poverty on the individual rather on capitalism
Myth of meritocracy AO3
• Functionalists argue that even
in today’s society, pupils from all backgrounds can go to university and succeed as all pupils gain a free education and are taught the same subjects on the national curriculum.
Sifting and sorting AO1
Bowles and Gintis - pupils are allocated roles based on their class
BALL- setting and streaming
Bowles and Gintis found it was obedient students who got the best grades, not those who were non-conformist or creative thinkers
Education rewards those who conform to the expectations of capitalism and are passive and docile.
Sifting and sorting AO3
There is evidence to suggest this view is outdated. The system no longer sifts working class students solely into manual work.
WC students are able to get loans and grants to help them go to university and access the best jobs.
Anti school subcultures
Willis - learning to labour (Marxists)
Group interviews and observations on a group of 12 WC lads in an anti school subculture
Broke schools rules by smoking, disrupting and truanting
Followed their transition to work and found they did not accept the HC as bowles and gintis say
Able to see through meritocratic ideology
However still helped capitalism as they filled low paid jobs capitalism needs filling
Willis study AO3
:)- free will of the boys to resist ideology
:(- romanticising the lads presenting them as WC heroes despite their anti social behaviour and sexist attitudes
Small scale study - unrepresentative and gender blind
