Marxist evaluations Flashcards
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The theory is useful in exposing the ‘myth of meritocracy’ – our education system does not give an equal chance to everyone (think back to what you learnt about social class & educational achievement).
✓ The theory shows the role education plays in creating & maintaining class inequality. (The class divide between the rich & poor in society continues to widen & needs to be explained.)
✓ The theory is supported by empirical evidence - studies by Sutton Trust, Paul Willis, etc. show us that material deprivation has a great effect on educational achievement – so Marxism is not just theory like functionalism.
The theory overstates the link between education & the economy & postmodernists argue that this Marxist view is outdated. They argue that our economy has moved away from assembly-line mass production. Today, we need a skilled, adaptable workforce able to use advanced technology & transfer their skills rapidly from one specialised task to another. Therefore, education has become more diverse & pupils are encouraged to be self motivated & creative.
Marxism is very deterministic – assumes pupils have no free will & passively accept their situation. Willis’ study showed far from producing docile, well-socialised, future workers
🗶 The theory is too class focused
