Marxist Explanations

Question 1

What is Marxism?

Answer 1

-a conflict view which sees society as being based on class divisions and exploitation

Question 2

Marxists argue that:

Answer 2

• in a capitalist society, there are two classes - the ruling class (capitalists or bourgeoisie) and the subject class (working class, or proletariat)
• the capitalist class own the means of production (land, factories etc) and make their profits by exploiting the labour of the working class
• this creates class conflict that could threaten the stability of capitalism or even result in a revolution to overthrow it
• social institutions (such as the education system) reproduce class inequalities and play an ideological role by persuading exploited workers that inequality is justified and acceptable
• Marxists argue that the main function of the education system is to reproduce the inequalities of the capitalist economic system

Question 3

Louis Althusser - the role of ideology

Answer 3

• Althusser sees the education system as part of the ideological state apparatus, he claims that education, along with other ideological state apparatuses such as the family and mass media reproduce class based inequalities by creating the belief that capitalism is normal, natural and just
• the effect of this is the reproduction of the class system as the children of the working class tend to remain working class

Question 4

Bourdieu - cultural capital

Answer 4

• argues that the main function of education is to reproduce and legitimise ruling class culture and power
• education socialises the working class into a ‘culture of failure’ so that they take up without question routine and dull work

Question 5

Bowls and Gintis (1976)

Answer 5

-argue that there is a close relationship between social relationships in the workplace and in education
-this correspondence principal operates through the hidden curriculum and it shaped the workforce in the following ways
•helps produce a subservient workforce
•the hidden curriculum encourages an acceptance of hierarchy
•pupils learn to be motivated by external rewards rather than the love of education itself
•school subjects are fragmented in the same way that routine work is
•the end product if this is the production of a hardworking, docile, obedient workforce which is too divided to challenge the authority of management