Marxist perspective

Question 1

What do marxists in general believe about the role of education?

Answer 1

1) education teaches skills and values needed for work
2) supports capitalism
3) legitimises inequality

Question 2

Outline Bowles + Gintis’s perspective on the role of education

school benefits capitalism:

1) correspondence principle
2) hidden curriculum

(-) Willis - anti-school subcultures suggest that not everyone becomes obedient

Answer 2

• correspondence principle:
teaches pupils to accept hierarchy in the future (e.g student vs teacher, employee vs boss), as well as doing work to receive rewards - this prepares pupils for work

• the hidden curriculum:
teach norms and values to students e.g to turn up on time, to dress appropriately, to respect authority - this creates an obedient students + likewise an obedient workforce for capitalism

Question 3

Outline Althusser’s perspective on the role of education

1) ideological state apparatus

Answer 3

• idealogical state apparatus:
schools, media etc are tools for capitalism
schools control people’s beliefs and values to prevent the overthrow of capitalism (conflict) / to perpetuate the capitalist ideology

• the repressive state apparatus-another tool within society itself in order to control conflict against capitalism (threat of violence) e.g getting the court involved if someone doesn’t go to school

Question 4

How does Willis oppose the marxist theory in relation to subcultures?

And how does the marxist perspective counteract this argument?

Answer 4

• some students join anti-school subcultures rather than becoming obedient students, + due to the correspondence principle they become disobedient workers too (don’t care much for their job, hate them etc)
• marxists = anti-school subcultures can also benefit capitalism: students become used to boredom + lack of stimulation and they have limited skills, therefore can perform unskilled work needed for capitalism e.g bin men

Question 5

How do feminists feel about the marxist perspective?

Answer 5

• it focuses on inequality of classes but ignores inequality of genders e.g patriarchy

Question 6

How can you use internal factors to oppose the marxist perspective?

Answer 6

• ignores how labelling, streaming etc may result in the self fulfilling prophecy which could lead to lack of effort + low grades = inefficient workforce for capitalism