5.1.4: Social democratic and New Right views on education

social democratic views on the relationship between education and the economy

• state should represent interests of the population as a whole

• required a democratic system in which people elect governors

• best way to ensure equal rights (opportunity, success, law)

• see education as a means of providing equality of opportunity and essential for economic growth

• some social democrats argue inequalities prevent equality of educational opportunity and reduce the effectiveness of education in promoting economic growth

• equal opportunity and meritocracy:

  • halsey

  • social democrats believe in meritocracy

  • equality of opportunity is essential for meritocracy

• economic growth:

  • halsey

  • equality of opportunity would make society more meritocratic

  • leads to everyone having the opportunity to develop their potential and maximise contribution to the economy

  • make greater contributions to economic growth

• evaluation:

  • equality of opportunity:

    • 2 ways to move towards this:

      1. changing education system to provide equal chance to succeed

      2. changing class system and reducing inequalities

    • places too much importance on changing the education system

      • bernstein

    • argue only a reduction in inequality in society can reduce inequality in educational opportunity

      • evidence doesn’t reinforce this

      • inequality has grown steadily i.e. palestine, USA

    • feminist perspective

      • schools don’t provide equality of opportunity

      • not based on meritocratic principles

      • general favour for boys

      • millett

  • economic growth:

    • school curriculum doesn’t provide skills needed for employment

    • more education ≠ increased economic growth

      • wolf

    • level of economic growth depends on extent of inequality:

      • low level of inequality = high growth rate

      • increase in income would reduce inequality and boost growth

      • cingano

  • lauder et al

new rights views of the relationship between education and economy

• new right view:

  • informs economic policies of governments across the world

  • focuses on competition in national and global markets

  • sees competition as key to efficiency and economic growth

    • competition only works in a free market

  • competition offers choice to consumers

    • choice available when companies compete

    • no choice in a monopoly

  • argues state owned monopolies should be privatised

    • i.e. healthcare and education

  • neoliberalism has began influencing government education policy

    • growth in global education companies

    • education as a commodity

• education and the market:

  • views education as central to economic growth

  • raising standards in education = raised living standards, growth

  • marketisation:

    • key to raising educational standards

    • schools, college and universities must compete for customers in a free and open market

    • freedom to select educational institution

      • incentive to raise standards in institutions

    • in a market system, public state money follows choices made by parents and children

      • gives successful institutions funds to expand and failing institutions incentive to close

    • information on school standards must be widely available in an educational market

      • to make informed decisions

      • testing regimes in place

      • schools regularly assessed and results published

    • performativity

      • focus on performance and its measurement

      • ball

• school choice process in india

  • increase in private sector provision of low-fee schools

    • students who attend for free from disadvantaged backgrounds

    • gurney

• neoliberalism, globalisation and education

  • education is seen as the key to success

  • increased focus on vocationalism

    • brown and lauder

• evaluation

  • educational markets are unfair

    • lack of equal choice

    • differences in knowledge and money

    • some in a better position to manipulate educatioonal markets

  • raised standards

    • competition and choice raises standards

    • levin and belfield

  • selection by schools

    • open market = schools choosing students

      • ranson

    • pressure on schools to select students seen as most able to remain at the top

    • creaming

  • education as a means to an end

    • marketisation of education = narrow view of education as a means to an end

    • ranson

    • coffield and williamson

    • lauder et al

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