Social democrats and Privatisation

Question 1

What are social democrats?

Answer 1

A centrist form of socialism that advocates collaboration between government, unions and management

Question 2

What do social democrats support?

Answer 2

Redistributing wealth through progressive taxation, an expansive welfare state and involving both public and private sectors significantly

Question 3

How are social democrats socialist?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

How is social democracy relevant to the labor party?

Answer 4

Trade unions, cooperatives, socialist groups and think tanks lean center-left to win public support, key labor movement figures identify as social democrats.

Question 5

How do the labor party win elections?

Answer 5

Through combining socialist ideals with a practical understanding of what a left leaning government can realistically accomplish

Question 6

Why do revolutionary socialist parties struggle in elections?

Answer 6

It uses Marxist ideologies which aims to cause upheaval and violence as those in power wouldn’t peacefully yield.

Question 7

What do social democrats think about the educational system?

Answer 7

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)

Question 8

Who argued that the tripartite system doesn’t provide equal opportunities?

Answer 8

Halsey et al

Question 9

Can you expand on what Halsey et al said?

Answer 9

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

Question 10

What measures were introduced to combat working class disadvantages?

Answer 10

Compensatory education and education priority areas (provided more resources)

Question 11

How did the social democratic ideal carry on?

Answer 11

It continued under the new labor government in the form of education action zones and sure start

Question 12

How can the economy grow according to social democrats?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Who spoke about economic growth?

Answer 13

Schultz

Question 14

What did Schultz say?

Answer 14

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

Question 15

What is the definition for privatization?

Answer 15

Transfer of assets or resources from state control into the hands of the private sector

Question 16

Is it different to private education?

Answer 16

Yes

Question 17

What does privatization within education look like?

Answer 17

• 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

Question 18

What does privatization of education look like?

Answer 18

• 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

Question 19

What are criticisms of privatisation?

Answer 19

• 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

Question 19

What does privatization in effect look like in education?

Answer 19

• 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

Question 20

What does the growth of privatization show?

Answer 20

the privatization of education became a global business