Topic 11 - marxist and ideology Flashcards
Introduction?
Karl Marx, a revolutionary and political theorist, predicted that capitalism would be overthrown during or after his lifetime, but revolutions did not occur in England or Germany as he expected. This left Marxist thinkers questioning why the working class continues to tolerate inequality. One explanation is that ideology, particularly through the education system, teaches people to accept inequality and capitalist ideas as normal.
Education is a form of social control
Marxism is a conflict theory that views society’s social classes as competing for power and wealth. Marxists see education as a tool for oppressing the working class, using mechanisms such as the transmission of ideologies and the structure of schools. They are generally critical of formal school organizations and teachers, believing that education reinforces capitalist power and inequality.
Correspondence theory?
Bowles and Gintis’ correspondence theory suggests that schools mirror society’s hierarchy, where workers are oppressed by bosses. Schools teach children obedience, preparing them to be a submissive workforce. Success in school is linked to obedience and accepting authority. This view is criticized as theoretical, with Bowles and Gintis seeing schools as a conspiracy against the working class. Schools tend to view students who challenge authority as poor students.
Counter school cultures?
The concept of counter-school cultures suggests that some working-class students resist the values of capitalism promoted by schools, displaying potential for resistance. Paul Willis studied 12 working-class boys in the 1970s, seeing them as heroes for challenging capitalist values. However, his work has been criticized, as the boys also exhibited sexism, racism, and antisocial behavior, which contradicts the idea of them being positive role models.
Schools as an agency of repression?
French philosopher Althusser argued that schools transmit capitalist ideology, functioning as an ideological state apparatus that justifies capitalism. However, this view may oversimplify the role of schools, as they often do more than simply oppress and brainwash children.
Hidden curriculum?
The hidden curriculum refers to the unconscious teaching of social values in schools. While both functionalists and Marxists agree that schools impart these values, Marxists view it as negative and oppressive. Marxists argue that schools prepare students for the monotony of adult life and teach them to accept authority, as Illich claimed. However, critics argue that children may not consciously rebel against school rules and can still critically assess the values taught by teachers.
Cultural capital?
Bourdieu, influenced by Marxism, argued that capital extends beyond money to include knowledge. He identified three types of cultural capital:
Embodied capital – class indicators like accent, culture, and manners.
Objectified capital – ownership or access to social markers like books, music, and art.
Institutionalized capital – authority and power, such as high-powered jobs or educational qualifications.
Strenghts?
Marxism challenges the functionalist view of meritocracy, showing that some pupils have greater opportunities to succeed than others. It explains class differences in educational attainment and highlights the ideological role of formal education.
Weaknesses?
Marxism overlooks structural inequalities related to ethnicity and gender and ignores that education can provide many students with better opportunities than their parents had. It also naively views teachers as agents of the middle class and questions why employers complain about the lack of work readiness in school leavers if education serves employers’ needs.
