Marxists perspective on education

2 state apparatus to keep bourgeoisie in power

Althusser:

1. Repressive state apparatus: Physical methods to maintain the ruling class - army, police etc

2. Ideological state apparatus: ideologies use to maintain ruling class power - religion, media and the education system

What do Bowles and Ginitis argue about the education system

They describe it as ‘a myth of meritocracy’. Meritocracy promotes equal opportunities. If an individual does well in school they will do well in life. Unlike functionalists such as Parsons, Marxist belive meritocracy does not infact exist.

Instead they argue that education teaches values that prepared us for a capitalist society. Capitalism requires a subordinated workforce who are willing to accept alienating and exploiting work conditions such as low pay and orders from above.

What is the correspondence principle and the hidden curriculum + criticisms

The hidden curriculum is the unwritten set of social and cultural messages taught in school (like punctuality and obedience). The correspondent principle is a Marxist theory from Bowles and Gintis suggesting that the structure of the education system is designed to mirror the structure of the workplace in capitalist society.

Post modernists reject this idea. They argue Marxist and Functionalist ideas are outdates. We no longer live in a 2 class system and there is more diversity.

What is Fordism + critcisms

Fordism is a production system adopted by Henry Fordist (founder of Ford car company) for mass production and mass consumption. Features of this system were

1. Production lines for mass production

2. production line work is broken down into small, simple & repetitive tasks

3. workers are closely managed

4. the speed of the production line is controlled by management

5. workers are removed from the decision making process

Marxist argue education prepares us for Fordist systems of work.

Postmodernists disagree with Marxists arguing their views are outdates. Instead they argue, that the economy now uses post Fordist production systems. This is systems that requires a skilled and adaptable workforce that the education system will provide

What does Willis argue about education and what type of sociologist is he?

Willis is a Marxist. However he disagrees with Marxism arguing that pupils can resist schools attempts to indoctrinate them.

What did Willis’ study on an anti school subculture prove?

Willis did a study on a common anti school subculture, ‘ The Lads’. He found they often would reject school values and disciple, they found school useless and would make fun of those who focused. They found manual work as superior and intellectual work as inferior and feminine.

His study proved that school in many ways prepares students for capitalism. This is as many boys within these anti school subcultures have already prepared themselves for boredom and exploitation through there experiences at school, which prepares them for the same experiences in work. They will obey these norms as they found coping mechanisms around it and have accepted it a long time ago.

Evaluate Marxism

• Willis rejects the idea that schools simply ‘brainwash’ people into passively accepting their fates.

• Post modernists reject the idea of correspondent principles. They argue Marxist and Functionalist ideas are outdates. We no longer live in a 2 class system and there is more diversity. We live in a Post Fordist society rather than a Fordism one.

• Willis’ study was small scale so is not 100% representative.