the role of education - marxism

Question 1

what is marxism?

Answer 1

the theory which believes that society is based on economic values - this influences political and social life

Question 2

what two elements does the state consist of (according to Althusser)

Answer 2

• the repressive state apparatus
• the ideological state apparatus

Question 3

what does marxism result to?

Answer 3

• as a result of the economic influence, the rich exploit the poor in order to make a profit - the poor are deliberately treated badly to ensure class system stays in place, allowing the rich to become richer
• all parts of society are used to ensure this happens e.g - school, family, religion, govt etc
• they create a classless society which governs itself without a structure

Question 4

what is the idea of repressive state apparatus (RSA)?

Answer 4

relies on force used by police to maintain class ruling power thru physical coercion against working class - institutions which maintain the rule of the bourgeoisie by force or the threat of it.

Question 5

what is the idea of the ideological state apparatus (ISA)?

Answer 5

uses religion /media/education to influence citizens ideas, maintaining ruling power - institutions which maintain the rule of the bourgeoisie by controlling peoples ideas values and beliefs.

Question 6

what do Bowels and Gintis think?

Answer 6

• education doesn’t foster personal development - it distorts it.
• it creates obedient workers.
• those who showed independence achieved lower grades and those who showed obedience and discipline achieved higher grades.

Question 7

what are examples of RSA’s?

Answer 7

police, courts, armies

Question 8

what are examples of ISA’s?

Answer 8

religion, media, education system

Question 9

what does Althusser view the education system as?

Answer 9

an ideological state apparatus.

Question 10

according to Althusser what two functions does the education system perform?

Answer 10

reproduces and legitimates class inequality.

Question 11

how does education reproduce inequality?

Answer 11

through transmitting it through generations by failing working class pupils each generation.

Question 12

how does education legitimate class inequality?

Answer 12

by producing ideologies that persuade the working class to accept inequality and make them think they deserve their position.

Question 13

what do Bowles and Gintis say capitalism requires?

Answer 13

a work force with attitudes suited to their role as alienated, exploited workers.

Question 14

which students tend to get lower grades, and which get higher grades - according to Bowles and Gintis?

Answer 14

lower grades - those who show creativity and independence.
higher grades - those who show obedience and discipline.

Question 15

what do they conclude?

Answer 15

that schools reward those who would make for a submissive, compliant worker and produces obedient workers for capitalism.

Question 16

what principle did they come up with?

Answer 16

the correspondence principle - education mirrors the workplace in its organisation, rewards systems and a range of other factors.
- it operates through the hidden curriculum.

Question 17

what is the hidden curriculum?

Answer 17

the norms and values that are taught in school indirectly.

Question 18

what are examples of hidden curriculum values?

Answer 18

• social expectations related to gender roles.
• valuing competition and individual achievement.
• value of cultural differences.

Question 19

what do they describe the education system as and why?

Answer 19

‘a giant myth making machine’ because education promotes the myth of meritocracy.

Question 20

why do they argue meritocracy is a myth?

Answer 20

because evidence shows that the main factor determining whether or not someone has a high income, is their family and class background, rather than their ability or educational achievement - this undermines the purpose of meritocracy.

Question 21

what does the myth of meritocracy do?

Answer 21

• it justifies the privileges of higher classes , making it seem like they gained them through succeeding in open and fair competition at school - this persuades the working class to accept inequality as legitimate.
• the education system also justifies poverty by blaming poverty on the individual, rather than blaming capitalism - it therefore plays an important part in reconciling workers to their exploited position, making them less likely to rebel against the system.

Question 22

what else do they reject other than meritocracy?

Answer 22

role allocation

Question 23

what was willis’ view upon education?

Answer 23

while bowels and gintis see education as a process of indoctrination into the myth of meritocracy, willis’ study shows that working class pupils can resist such attempts to indoctrinate them.

Question 24

what was willis’ study and what did he conclude?

Answer 24

• he studied 12 working class boys known as ‘the lads’
• he claimed that they had formed an anti school subculture and didn’t care about the labels they were given - they are ultimately socialised into a working class subculture.

Question 25

what does willis argue about what he concluded?

Answer 25

• he argued that they ‘see through capitalism’ and therefore think its not worth doing any work at school as they wont get good jobs no matter how hard they work.
• he argued that the education system had failed at effectively socialising children into the ruling class norms and values and so they developed an anti-school subculture.

Question 26

what are the criticisms of willis’ study and perspective?

Answer 26

• it was a small study of only 12 boys, so its not generalisable and doesn’t represent working class boys in general.
• he didn’t consider people of the opposite gender or ethnic minorities so his conclusions aren’t accurately representing the working class attitudes.