The New Right Perspective on Education

Question 1

What is New Right?

Answer 1

A political perspective which believes in meritocracy, competition and socialisation yet believe that the system is failing to do these things well.

Question 2

Key Features:

Answer 2

Too much state control of education which creates a culture of dependency where people rely too heavily on the state to get them things and solve their problems.

‘Sink or swim’ approach from the New Right: have to learn to take care of themselves which makes everyone stronger.

Question 3

Education:

Answer 3

Based on the idea that the state cannot meet individual’s needs. It is a ‘one size fits all’.

Poor schools do not change as they do not answer to their consumers, which leads to less qualified workers.

Need to create an ‘education market’, parentocracy, competition (marketisation).

Influenced the Conservative Gov’s policies.

Question 4

Chubb and Moe:

Answer 4

Argue that the system is not meritocratic as it fails to produce pupils with skills needed by employers.

1000 USA schools. Found that students from poorer backgrounds do 5% better in private schools than in state schools as private schools have to answer to their consumers.

Believe in the introduction of an education market in order to improve standards. Parentocracy.

Globalisation - workers lacking high levels of skills will lose their jobs to more skilled workers in other countries.

Question 5

Evaluation (direct and indirect):

Answer 5

Direct - Gewirtz says competition only benefits the MC who use cultural capital, social inequality is the real cause for low standards.

Indirect - Functionalists believe that schools are successful in producing a skilled workforce, Marxists believe that national identity is simply the culture of the ruling class.