marxist views on education

Question 1

what type of theory is marxism

Answer 1

a structural conflict theory

Question 2

similarities with functionalism

Answer 2

also structural - regard the education system as social structure that contains the behaviour of largely passive individuals

also concerned with examining the way in which the socialisation, allocation and vocational roles of school and training courses perform economic functions

Question 3

differences from functionalist view

Answer 3

conflict rather than consensus, take a pessimistic rather than optimistic view of the role of education

the education system does not benefit all of society, but only the ruling class

Question 4

key functions of the education system according to marxists

Answer 4

education is the ideological state apparatus
education creates a passive and subservient workforce
education creates a myth of meritocracy
neo-marxism - students can be active in accepting or rejecting the exploitative hidden curriculum

Question 5

how does Althusser ague - ISA

Answer 5

argues that the state controls the working class via two apparatuses

RSA - repressive state apparatus - control through force or the threat of it eg police, courts

ISA - ideological state apparatuses - control through ideas, values and beliefs eg the media, family and education

ISAs control the working class by persuading them to accept the dominant ideology (winning their hearts and minds)

Question 6

what does Bourdeiu argue - ISA

Answer 6

the working class are duped into accepting their educational failure and limited social mobility

education system - designed to reproduce upper and middle class culture

working class - lack the cultural capital to succeed and the middle class succeed by default

Question 7

how does education act as an ideological state apparatus

Answer 7

encourages children to think capitalism is reasonable - it is the fairest way of organising society, alternative systems are unnatural and irrational

encouraging pupils to passively accept their future roles

produces a compliant and obedient workforce

Question 8

how would interactionists evaluate the ISA

Answer 8

argue that Althusser is deterministic

assumes that the working class pupils are brainwashed by ruling class ideology and passively accept their place

fails to explain how and why some reists

Question 9

how would other marxists evaluate the ISA

Answer 9

Willis, a neo-marxist also argue that the working class can and do resist the ISA

Question 10

what does marxist argue about creation of workforce

Answer 10

the capitalist class require a passive workforce which is easy to exploit as this enables them to pay low wages and make more profit

students are easy to exploit

children learn more through experience of going to school as opposed to main curriculum subjects
- values are taught through the hidden curriculum

eg students taught acceptance of hierarchy of teachers - managers in workplace

Question 11

What is Bowles and Gintis’ theory on the hidden curriculum and the correspondence principle

Answer 11

schooling operates in the long shadow of work - there is a correspondence between social relationships and structures at school and at work

this teaches pupils the norms and values that will make them useful workers - socialisation
- prepares pupils for future as exploited workers - reproduces class inequality 

eg punctuality - time belonging to the school, not the pupil teaches how good time-keeping at work - the employer pays for the worker’s time, so it belongs to the firm not the worker

Question 12

evaluation of creation of workforce

Answer 12

doubtful whether schools successfully instil attitudes and values such as punctuality and obedience

Ofsted have often found that low-level disruption is commonplace in many schools today eg students not turning up on time and not respecting or obeying teachers is relatively common in british schools

Question 13

How would the new right evaluate the creation of workforce

Answer 13

Peter Saunders - new right

supports the claim that education has helped to create a more meritocratic and socially mobile society

marxists accused of being blind to any evidence which suggests that society is becoming more open

Answer 14

education system reproduces and legitimises inequality

hidden curriculum - taught success and failure are part of school life and academia

reality - students who succeed are upper class and students who fail are working class

wealthier pupils get best education and end up in middle class jobs

eg 7% of UK attend private schools but 1/3 of MPs are from private school backgrounds

money determines how good the education is

myth of meritocracy - hides this as our grades depend on effort and ability so if children fail they believe it is their own fault

Question 15

How would functionalists argue against the myth of meritocracy

Answer 15

Davis and Moore

argue that society is meritocratic

everyone has equal chance to succeed and make it into a top job if they work hard enough

Question 16

How would the new right argue against the myth of meritocracy

Answer 16

Peter Saunders

believes that social mobility exists in Britain, and that if middle class do achieve above average then it is because they happen to be more clever

Question 17

Positive evaluations of marxism

Answer 17

There is concern that working class pupils are more likely to be placed into vocational education and middle-class into A-levels, thus reproducing class inequality

Marketisation policies and selection by mortgage have benefited the wealthy at the expense of the poor

Question 18

Limitations of marxism

Answer 18

Overemphasise class, ignoring other forms of inequality and how they interact, which is important in a diverse society

Feminists argue that Marxists ignore the experience of girls in education eg Bowles and Gintis ignore the fact that schools reproduce patriarchy as well as capitalism