Social democrats and Privatisation Flashcards
What are social democrats?
A centrist form of socialism that advocates collaboration between government, unions and management
What do social democrats support?
Redistributing wealth through progressive taxation, an expansive welfare state and involving both public and private sectors significantly
How are social democrats socialist?
believe in humanizing capitalism, aiming for a fair and equal society without resorting to widespread nationalization or Marxist revolution. Propose civilizing the economic system through various left wing policies while maintaining private ownership
How is social democracy relevant to the labor party?
Trade unions, cooperatives, socialist groups and think tanks lean center-left to win public support, key labor movement figures identify as social democrats.
How do the labor party win elections?
Through combining socialist ideals with a practical understanding of what a left leaning government can realistically accomplish
Why do revolutionary socialist parties struggle in elections?
It uses Marxist ideologies which aims to cause upheaval and violence as those in power wouldn’t peacefully yield.
What do social democrats think about the educational system?
Believe that governments should invest heavily in education and use education as a means to improve equality of opportunity (best way to ensure education contributes to economic growth)
Who argued that the tripartite system doesn’t provide equal opportunities?
Halsey et al
Can you expand on what Halsey et al said?
Most students in secondary modern couldn’t fulfill their potential liming their opportunities compared to the other 2 schools.
- Social class divisions: working class - secondary moderns and middle class - grammar
What measures were introduced to combat working class disadvantages?
Compensatory education and education priority areas (provided more resources)
How did the social democratic ideal carry on?
It continued under the new labor government in the form of education action zones and sure start
How can the economy grow according to social democrats?
A truly meritocratic education system would contribute to economic growth as it enables the individuals max potential which contributes maximally to the economic development of the country
Who spoke about economic growth?
Schultz
What did Schultz say?
Skills and knowledge are forms of capital
- More governmental spending in education represents an investment in people
> more spent = more skilled and productive workforce
- Expenditure on education gradually increased through decades, school leaving age was increased and HE expanded enormously
What is the definition for privatization?
Transfer of assets or resources from state control into the hands of the private sector
Is it different to private education?
Yes
What does privatization within education look like?
- Autonomy in schools =n operating like private businesses
> eg: marketing - Ability to opt out of LEA (local education authorities) control and manage themselves
- Academization: importing business principles into education
What does privatization of education look like?
- Increased amount of schools managed by academy trusts = educational brand
- Educational consultants: advice to manage schools to maximize potential
- Examination services and certificates
- Educational brands: schools use of specific software
> eg: the use of apple/google - Building new schools using private investments
What are criticisms of privatisation?
- Company control over the curriculum could influence the content taught
> focus on skills and knowledge needed for employment rather than arts or humanities - Cola-isation of schools (Ball)
> large companies can advertise to students - introducing them to their products at an early age = consumerism - Focus on profit rather than progress - some courses/services cut from schools if unprofitable eg: modern foreign languages
- Academy trusts can hire untrained and unqualified teachers = lower educational achievements
What does privatization in effect look like in education?
- Range of academy trusts operating large numbers
> 2018: 738 MATs (multi academy trusts) operating 5 or more with 13 operating 26 or more - Growth of exam boards, such as pearsons (leading exam board in the UK) - supplies over 70 countries worldwide with materials and assessments
What does the growth of privatization show?
the privatization of education became a global business
