Neoliberalism and the New Right perspective on education Flashcards
Describe the main argument of neoliberalism regarding state services.
Neoliberalism argues that the state should not provide services such as education, health, and welfare, advocating for minimal state intervention in these areas.
Explain how neoliberalism views the role of education in the global marketplace.
Neoliberalism posits that the value of education lies in its ability to enhance a country’s competitiveness in the global marketplace, suggesting that schools should operate more like businesses.
Define the New Right perspective on education.
The New Right perspective on education emphasizes marketisation, believing that individuals should meet their own needs through the free market rather than relying on the state.
How do the New Right and functionalist views on education compare?
Both the New Right and functionalists believe in meritocracy, that some individuals are naturally more talented, and that education should prepare young people for work while instilling shared values.
Describe the relationship between competition and education according to neoliberalism.
Neoliberalism advocates for competition between schools as a means to drive up educational standards, empowering parents and pupils as consumers.
What is a central principle of New Right thinking regarding individual needs?
A central principle of New Right thinking is the belief that the state cannot adequately meet people’s needs, and that individuals are better off meeting their own needs through the free market.
Explain the significance of marketisation in the New Right’s educational philosophy.
Marketisation is significant in the New Right’s educational philosophy as it reflects the belief that education should operate within a competitive market framework, enhancing efficiency and responsiveness to consumer needs.
How has neoliberalism influenced government education policies since 1979?
Since 1979, neoliberal ideas have influenced all UK governments, including Conservative, Labour, and Coalition, shaping education policies towards privatization and deregulation.
Describe the New Right’s view on the current education system.
The New Right believes that the current education system is failing because it is state-run, which leads to a ‘one size fits all’ approach that ignores local needs and does not allow for consumer input.
Explain the New Right’s criticism of state education systems.
The New Right criticizes state education systems for being unresponsive and inefficient, as they do not hold schools accountable for poor performance or wasted resources, resulting in lower standards and a less qualified workforce.
Define marketisation of education according to the New Right.
Marketisation of education refers to the New Right’s proposal to create an ‘education market’ where competition between schools and consumer empowerment would lead to greater diversity, choice, and efficiency in meeting the needs of pupils, parents, and employers.
How do Chubb and Moe support the New Right perspective on education?
Chubb and Moe argue that state-run education fails to provide equal opportunity and necessary skills for the economy, while private schools offer higher quality education because they are accountable to paying consumers.
What evidence do Chubb and Moe use to support their claims about education quality?
Chubb and Moe base their claims on a comparison of achievements among 60,000 pupils from low-income families in state and private high schools, along with findings from a parent survey and case studies of schools that improved performance.
Identify the perceived consequences of the current state education system according to the New Right.
The New Right perceives that the current state education system leads to lower achievement standards, a less qualified workforce, and ultimately a less prosperous economy.
Discuss the implications of the New Right’s belief in consumer choice in education.
The New Right’s belief in consumer choice implies that empowering parents and students to choose schools will lead to better educational outcomes and accountability, as schools will need to respond to the demands of their consumers.
Summarize the New Right’s proposed solution to the issues in education.
The New Right proposes the marketisation of education as a solution, advocating for competition among schools to enhance quality, efficiency, and responsiveness to the needs of the community.
Describe the findings of Chubb and Moe regarding pupils from low-income families in private versus state schools.
Pupils from low-income families consistently perform about 5% better in private schools compared to state schools.
Explain the proposed market system in state education by Chubb and Moe.
Chubb and Moe propose a market system where families receive vouchers to spend on education at schools of their choice, allowing schools to become more responsive to parents’ needs.
Define the role of vouchers in the proposed education market system.
Vouchers serve as the main source of income for schools, compelling them to compete for ‘customers’ by improving their educational offerings.
How do Chubb and Moe believe educational standards can be improved in the state sector?
They believe that introducing market forces similar to those in the private education sector would greatly enhance educational standards in the state sector.
What are the two important roles of the state according to the New Right perspective on education?
The state imposes a competitive framework for schools and ensures the transmission of a shared culture through a National Curriculum.
Explain the significance of Ofsted inspection reports and league tables in the New Right view of education.
These tools provide parents with information to make informed choices about schools, thereby enhancing competition among schools.
Describe the purpose of a single National Curriculum in the context of state education.
The National Curriculum aims to socialize pupils into a shared cultural heritage, ensuring a common educational experience.
Do Chubb and Moe advocate for a complete removal of state involvement in education?
No, they acknowledge a role for the state in providing a framework for competition and ensuring cultural transmission.
Describe the New Right’s view on education and its purpose.
The New Right believes that education should affirm national identity by emphasizing Britain’s positive role in world history, teaching British literature, and incorporating a daily Christian act of worship, aiming to integrate pupils into a unified set of traditions and cultural values.
Explain the New Right’s stance on multicultural education.
The New Right opposes multicultural education that reflects the cultures of different minority groups in Britain, as they believe it detracts from a unified national identity.
Evaluate the argument made by Gerwitz and Ball regarding school competition.
Gerwitz and Ball argue that competition between schools primarily benefits the middle class, who can leverage their cultural and economic capital to access more desirable educational institutions.
How do critics view the causes of low educational standards in relation to the New Right perspective?
Critics argue that low educational standards are not due to state control but rather stem from social inequality and inadequate funding of state schools.
Define the contradiction present in the New Right’s educational policies.
There is a contradiction between the New Right’s advocacy for parental choice in education and the imposition of a compulsory national curriculum by the state on all schools.
Discuss the Marxist critique of the New Right’s claim about national culture in education.
Marxists argue that education does not impose a shared national culture as the New Right claims, but instead enforces the culture of a dominant minority ruling class while devaluing the cultures of the working class and ethnic minorities.
