The Roles and Purpose of Education: Marxism

Question 1

Bowles and Gintis (1976)

Answer 1

The capitalist ruling class created education as an institution to serve their own interests.

Question 2

Althusser (1971)

Answer 2

Education is an ideological state apparatus that passes on the ideologies of the capitalist ruling class.

Ideological State Apparatus - Institutions that spread bourgeoisie ideology and ensure that the proletariat is in a state of false class consciousness.

False Class Consciousness - Proletariats not recognising that they are being exploited by the bourgeoisie

Question 3

Bourdieu (2016)

Answer 3

The legitimisation of class inequalities and the reproduction of class structure. He argues each-class possesses their own habitus - framework of ideas - with the ruling class imposing their habitus on the education system.

Question 4

Willis (1977)

Answer 4

The experience of being a working-class “lad” at school prepares young people for the boredom of manual labour by allowing them to develop a distinct set of values which serve as a coping mechanism. Creates an exploitable workforce for capitalism.