Marxism

Question 1

Key Ideas about Education

Answer 1

• Traditional Marxists see the education system as working in the interests of ruling class elites. The education system performs three functions for these elites:
• Reproduces class inequality.
• Legitimates class inequality.
• The Correspondence Principle + myth of meritocracy -Bowles and Gintis
• Neo- Marxism – Paul Willis – PO of 12 lads who formed a counter school cultur: rejected authority and school and just turned up to ‘have a laff’. However, they ended up failing and still ended up in working class jobs (so supports the reproduction of class inequality).

Question 2

Supporting Evidence

Answer 2

• To support the reproduction of inequality – Who gets the best Jobs. And there is no statistically significant evidence against the FACT that, on aggregate, the richer your parents, the better you do in education.
• To support the Legitimation of class inequality – pupils are generally not taught about how unfair the education system is – they are taught that if they do badly, it is down to them and their lack of effort. False class consciousness
• To support the Ideological State Apparatus - Surveillance has increased schools’ ability to control students.

Question 3

Criticisms/ Limitations

Answer 3

• There are many critical subjects taught at university that criticise elites (e.g. Sociology).
• It is deterministic – not every child passively accepts authority (see Paul Willis).
• Some students rebel – 5% are persistent truants (they are active, not passive!).
• Some students from poor backgrounds do ‘beat the odds’ and go on to achieve highly.
• The growth of the creative industries in the UK suggest school doesn’t pacify all students.
• The nature of work and the class structure has also changed, possibly making Marxism less relevant today.