marxist views Flashcards
marxism is known as a ____ theory
conflict
sees society as…
consisting of 2 main classes , with one exploiting the other
marxists agree with functionalists that…
the education system prepares pupils for the world of work
difference in how marxists and functionalists view education
marxists do not see the fact that school prepares pupils for the world of work as a positive things but instead a function that serves to exploit the proletariat
capitalism
a system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit
marxists see capitalist societies as dominated by…
the ruling class (bourgeoisie)
the bourgeoisie
consists of the wealthy , who ‘own the means of production’ eh land, capital , labour power
They control the superstructure
the working class
proletariat
who are the proletariat
people who work for the ruling class for a wage , they are often paid less than they deservee and are therefore EXPLOITED by the ruling class
superstructure
everything not directly to do with production (eg media , religion , politics , culture)
Pierre Bourdieu
cultural capital
Pierre Bourdieu views on education
- suggests education serves to LEGITIMISE (justify) CLASS INEQUALITIES
- education values the culture of the m/u classes>w/c
- what counts as educational is that of the dominant burgeoise (eg classical music , ‘serious’ literature rather than pop. culture
- those who come from better of m/u class backgrounds have more access to the culture of the dominant class
(calls this cultural capital and are more likely to succeed in the education system)
Pierre Bourdieu suggests education serves to…
legitimise (justify) class inequalities
what culture does education value more (according to Pierre Bordeau)
education values the culture of middle and upper classes more than that of the working class
what counts as education knowledge + examples
- what counts as educational knowledge is that of the dominant Bourgeoisie
- eg classical music , ‘serious’ literature rather than pop culture
those two come from better off middle and upper class backgrounds have… (and what does Bordieu call this) , and are more likely to…
more access to the culture of the dominant class
- Bourdieu calls this cultural capital
- succeed in the education system
(Pierre Bourdieu - cultural capital)
the education system :( …
devalues working class culture
(Pierre Bourdieu - cultural capital)
the upper and middle class have a…
built-in advantage and much greater chanced of education; success
(Pierre Bourdieu - cultural capital)
education ____ the ___ class ______
education legitimises the higher class positions which they go on to hold as adults
dominant ideology for education
that the education system is meritocratic
meritocratic
based on individual talent and hard work
marxists and meritocracy
Marxists , like Bordieu argue that meritocracy is a myth - it is an ideological cover for exploitation
Sugarman
suggests that w/c pupils are culturally deprived and place too much emphasise on living in the moment rather than putting in hard work to succeed
critiques of Sugarcane’s views
puts the blame for inequality onto w/c parents rather the bourgeoisie
Bowles and Gintis
correspondence theory
(Bowles and Gintis) correspondence theory
schools mirror the world of work through the hidden curriculum
(schooling of w/c children mirrors capitalist workplace - hierarchy, alienation, extrinsic rewards, competition)
(Bowles and Gintis) meritocracy
see it as a myth , people are conned into believing that success or failure is based on merit , whereas in reality their class background determines how well they do in education
(Bowles and Gintis) w/c response to meritocracy
people blame themselves for their failure. , legitimising class inequality
schools + work in common:
- hierarchy
- rewards
- alienation
-fragmentation - conformity
hierarchy : schools vs work
schools - teach the acepptance of hierarchy (teachers give orders + students obey)
work - hierarchal structure (workers obey managers)
rewards : school vs work
school: pupils motivated by external rewards of exam success rather than interest in the study
work: motivated by wages rather than satisfaction of the work itself
Alienation : school vs work
school: pupils have no control over the educational curriculum
work:workers lack control over production or what goes on at work
Fragmentation: school vs work
school: knowledge is fragmented (broken into small pieces) subjects unconnected to each other
work: work fragmented into small meaningless tasks
Conformity: school vs work
school: Conformists pupils are awarded higher grades than those who challenge authority
work: Workers who challenge authority, or are lazy or not punctual, are often dismissed or not promoted
Evaluation of marxist views on education
- emphasise class inequality in education and pay little or no attention to inequality based on GENDER or ETHNICITY (these issues are often intersectional)
- Neo-marxists believe that w/c pupils passively accept everything they are taught , but in reality they actively shape their own education and sometimes resist the discipline imposed on them by school
functionalism is a ____ theory
consensus
social solidarity
feeling part of something bigger or a community
role allocation - what is it and who came up with the theory
1) means selecting students for their future job roles in society
2) Davis and Moore
new right beliefs on education
believes that the government should not interfere with education and
that schools should be run like a business
Human capital theory
about spending more on expansion of schools to have better skilled worker
(marxist) Althusser argues…
- that the ruling class maintain power by using both repressive state apparatus and ideological state apparatus.
- The education system is part of the ideological state apparatus
- These are institutions that spread bourgeois ideology and ensure that the proletariat is in a state of false consciousness
Repressive state apparatus
controls the masses by force e.g. police and army
Ideological state apparatus
more subtle organisations that spread ideology such as education and media
False consciousness
Members of a social class are not aware of their real interests
ALTHUSSER:
____ prepares _____ to _____ a life of _______ - how?
Education prepares working-class pupils to accept a life of exploitation.
Education passes on the norms and values that benefit the bourgeoisie
through the formal curriculum and hidden curriculum.
Formal curriculum (Althusser)
Gove argued pupils should learn more British History – where the British are heroic not the history of invading other countries, the slave trade etc. Britain is always right/importance of tradition is a conservative ideology that helps people believe it is wrong to push for social change
Hidden curriculum (Althusser)
Education teaches use about hierarchy, respect for
authority, obeying the rules. They serve to keep the rich and powerful in their
positions and to prevent revolution
Willis is a ____ , they agree with _____ but believed that teachers/policty makers __ __ _______ work on behalf of the ______ - some ___ ___ to , teachers ____ set out to ensure ___ kids ____ but it _______
Willis is a neo-Marxist. They agree with Marxism but believe that teachers/ policy makers do not deliberately work on behalf of the bourgeoisie – some seek not to. Teachers don’t set out to ensure w/c kids fail, but it happens
Willis’ study suggests that schools are not….
…directly preparing the obedient
labour force required by capitalism which Althusser/Bowles and
Gintis suggest.
However, although the ‘lads’ rejected aspects of ruling class ideology, their rebellion against school meant that they still ended up reproducing class inequality since they moved on to working class jobs
Illich
schools are repressive institutions which promote conformity and
encourage students into accepting existing inequalities
how does Illich believe schools promote conformity and
encourage students into accepting existing inequalities
through the hidden curriculum – those who don’t conform are excluded from
further education and end up in low paid jobs
what does Illich suggest the solution is
to abolish schools altogether (deschooling)
Freire
schools are repressive. Learners are conditioned to accept that
teachers are dominant and have superior knowledge
analysis of ILLICH AND FREIRE
Consequently, the education system produces hegemony – convincing the rest of society to accept the superiority of the ruling class’ ideology.
EVALUATION ILLICH AND FREIRE
They tend to be deterministic, they assume people have no real ability to
make choices or have control over what happens to them. They don’t explain how and why many working-class children are successful in education.
