Marxist view on education

Overall Marxist views

• Marxists see education as a tool used by who to maintain what

• Marxists argue that education reinforces c____ i____ by transmitting what and preparing working-class students for what

• this then creates a c_____ w_____. ensuring that the wealthy stay in p____ and working-class individuals remain where

Overall Marxist views

• Marxists see education as a tool used by the ruling class to maintain their dominance in a capitalist society.

• Marxists argue that education reinforces class inequalities by transmitting ruling-class ideology and preparing working-class students for low-paying jobs

• this then creates a compliant workforce. ensuring that the wealthy stay in power and working-class individuals remain in subordinate roles.

Althusser : ideological state apparatus

According to who (19___), the state consists of two elements/apparatuses which serve to do what

• r_____ s_____ apparatuses- maintain the rule of the bourgeoisie by f_____ e.g police, courts, army.

• i______ _____ apparatuses- maintain the rule of the bourgeoise by controlling i____, v____, and b____ e,g religion, media

• which is education

Althusser : ideological state apparatus

According to Louis Althusser (1971), the state consists of two elements/apparatuses which serve to keep the bourgeoisie in power :

• repressive state apparatuses- maintain the rule of the bourgeoisie by force e.g police, courts, army.

• ideological state apparatuses- maintain the rule of the bourgeoise by controlling ideas, values, and beliefs e,g religion, media

• education is an ideological state apparatuses

Althusser : ideological state apparatus

The education system, as an ISA, performs two functions:

• education r____ class inequality by transmitting how-ensuring that children of the working class are kept in what, similar to those of their p____. This process helps to perpetuate the ruling class's dominance by preparing students to accept what, which benefits the c____ structure.

• education l_____ (justifies) class inequality by producing what that workers end up i___ and believing - serves to create a "f___ c____," where individuals are less likely to recognize what and instead see it as a n____ ,c____, i____ system -this makes them less likely to do what

Althusser : ideological state apparatus

The education system, as an ISA, performs two functions:

• education reproduces class inequality by transmitting it from generation to generation -ensuring that children of the working class are kept in lower-skilled or lower-paid job roles, similar to those of their parents. This process helps to perpetuate the ruling class's dominance by preparing students to accept roles that match their socioeconomic backgrounds, which benefits the capitalist structure.

• education legitimates (justifies) class inequality by producing ideologies (ideas + beliefs) that workers end up internalising and believing - serves to create a "false consciousness," where individuals are less likely to recognize the exploitation within capitalism and instead see it as a natural ,accepted, inevitable system that is accepted-this makes them less likely challenge/threaten capitalist

Bowles and Gintis : intro

Bowles and Gintis, in their influential book which is called what, argue that capitalism requires what

what are the 3 aspects of B & G?

Bowles and Gintis : intro

Bowles and Gintis, in their influential book Schooling in Capitalist America (1976), argue that capitalism requires a workforce with attitudes, behaviour and personality types that are suited to a role of being alienated and exploited workers willing to accept hard work, low pay and orders from above

Aspects of B & G

• study looking at personality traits for a complaint worker

• correspondence principle and the hidden curriculum

• myth of meritocracy

Bowles and Gintis : study

• From a study of how many New York h___ s___ s___ and other studies, Bowles and Gintis conclude that schools do what

• e,g students who showed what tended to gain low grades while those who showed what (e.g punctuality) tended to get high grades

• B & G conclude from this evidence that schooling helps produce what

Bowles and Gintis : study

• From a study of 237 New York high school students and other studies, Bowles and Gintis conclude that schools reward positively the kind of personality traits that make for a submissive, complaint worker'

• e,g student who showed independence and creativity tended to gain low grades while those who showed characteristics linked to obedience and discipline (e.g punctuality) tended to get high grades

• B & G conclude from this evidence that schooling helps produce the obedient workers that capitalism needs

Bowles and Gintis: the correspondence principle and the hidden curriculum

• The correspondence principle, states that the education system closely what. It suggests that education s_____ students into accepting h____, c____, and the unequal distribution of power, preparing them for what

• The correspondence principle operates through the what - l____ l_____ that are indirectly taught in school e.g obedience to a____, p____, and acceptance of h____

• in this way schooling prepares pupils for what- reproducing class inequality from g____ to g____

• phill Cohen (1984) argues that what serves capitalism by teaching young workers attitudes and values needed in a subordinate labour force not genuine job skills

Bowles Gintis: the correspondence principle and the hidden curriculum

• The correspondence principle, states that the education system closely mirrors the workplace in a capitalist society. It suggests that education socializes students into accepting hierarchy, competition, and the unequal distribution of power, preparing them for their future roles as obedient workers.

• The correspondence principle operates through the hidden curriculum - life lessons that are indirectly taught in school e.g obedience to authority, punctuality, and acceptance of hierarchy

• in this way schooling prepares working-class pupils for their role as the exploited and obedient workers of the future- reproducing class inequality from generation to generation

• Phill Cohen (1984) argues that youth training schemes serve capitalism by teaching young workers attitudes and values needed in a subordinate labour force not genuine job skills

Bowles and Gintis :the myth of meritocracy

• Marxist sociologists B____ and G_____ argue capitalist societies are not m_____ -Against functionalists, they argue that it is not the ability/effort of an individual that determines how well they do but what

• Being born into a middle-class family means middle-class children benefit from what which gives them an advantage in school and the job world- compared to u____ advantage who gets get

Bowles and Gintis :the myth of meritocracy

• Marxist sociologists Bowles and Gintis argue capitalist societies are not meritocratic -Against functionalists, they argue that it is not the ability/effort of an individual that determines how well they do but their class background

• Being born into a middle-class family means middle-class children benefit from material and cultural capital which gives them an advantage in school and the job world- compared to unfair advantage working class children get

  
  

Bowles and Gintis :the myth of meritocracy

• However the education system disguises this (prev fc) with what - the idea that it is solely what which determines the q____ and job they get, rather than what

• indivuals then end up blaming themselves for f____ and i____ ability rather than i_____ opportunity in the education system

• Education system also justifies poverty by doing what - This and the myth of meritocracy persuade the working class to a____ inequality as legitimate and be less likely to do what

Bowles and Gintis :the myth of meritocracy

• However the education system disguises this (prev fc) by the ‘ myth of meritocracy)- the idea that it is solely the ability and effort of the individual which determines the qualifications and job they get, rather than class background

• indivuals then end up blaming themselves for failures and insufficient ability rather than inequality opportunity in the education system

• Education system also justifies poverty by blaming capitalism (i’m poor because I wasn’t clever enough) This and the myth of meritocracy persuade the working class to accept inequality as legitimate and be less likely to overthrow capitalism

  
  

Willis learning to labour study ( a criticism of the Marxist view of education )

• Bowles and Gintis see education as what

• however Paul Willis study shows that working class pupils can resist what

• the study used q_____ research methods ( including participant o____ and u____ i_____) Willis studied a group of ___ working-class boys

Willis learning to labour study ( a criticism of the Marxist view of education )

• Bowles and Gintis see education as a straightforward process of indoctrination into the myth of meritocracy

• however Paul Willis study shows that working class pupils can resist attempts to indoctrinate them

• the study used qualitative research methods ( including participant observation and unstructured interviews) Willis studied a group of 12 working-class boys

Willis learning to labour study ( a criticism of the Marxist view of education )

lads counter culture- the boys formed a ‘counter culture which didwhat :

• scornful of who

• find school b____ and m____

• defying the rules and values of the school by s____, d____ , d_____ classes , t____

for the lads, such acts of defiance are ways of what- they reject the ‘c____’ of schools m____ ideology that working-class pupils can a____ middle-class jobs through hard work

Willis learning to labour study ( a criticism of the Marxist view of education )

lads counter culture- the boys formed a ‘counter culture which opposed the school :

• scornful of conformist boys who listened to the teacher

• find school boring and meaningless

• defying the rules and values of the school by smoking, drinking , disrupting classes , truancy

for the lads, such acts of defiance are ways of resisting the school- they reject the ‘con’ of schools meritocratic ideology that working-class pupils can achieve middle-class jobs through hard work

Willis learning to labour study ( a criticism of the Marxist view of education )

Willis notes the similarity between what

• both see manual work as s____ and intellectual work as i____ and e___ (f___)

• lads strongly identify with male manual work and what does this explain

Willis learning to labour study ( a criticism of the Marxist view of education )

Willis notes the similarity between the lad’ anti-school counter-culture and the shopfloor culture of male manual workers

• both see manual work as superior and intellectual work as inferior and effeminate (feminine)

• lads strongly identify with male manual work and this explains why they see themselves as superior to girls and ‘ear’oles’ who aspire to non-manual jobs

Willis learning to labour study ( a criticism of the Marxist view of education )

The lads’ c____-c___ and r____ of school helps them to S____ into fitting j___ which are inferior in what 3 ways- which c___ NEEDS for someone to perform . For example

• having been a____ to b____ and finding ways of doing what- they don’t expect s____ from work and are able to find d____ to cope with the t___ that comes with what

• acts of rebellion guarantee what, by ensuring their f___ to gain worthwhile q____

For Willis, the irony is that by doing what the lads c-c ensures that they are d____ for the unskilled work that capitalism needs someone to perform

Willis learning to labour study ( a criticism of the Marxist view of education )

The lads’ counter-culture and resistance of school helps them to slot into fitting jobs which are inferior in skill, pay and conditions- which capitalism NEEDS for someone to perform . For example

• having been accustomed to boredom and fin d ways of amusing themselves in school- they don’t expect satisfaction from work and are able to find diversions to cope with the tedium that comes with unskilled labour

• acts of rebellion guarantee that they will end up in unskilled jobs, by ensuring their failure to gain worthwhile qualfications

For Willis, the irony is that by resisting the schools ideologies the lads c-c ensures that they are destined for the unskilled work that capitalism needs someone to perform

Evaluation of Marxist perspective of education- strengths

✓-useful in exposing the what

• shows the role that education plays as an i____ s____ a___, serving the interests of c____ by r____ and l_____ class inequality

✓-there is strong evidence for the reproduction of class inequality in what

• A disproportionately high number of people in these professions were educated how and come from f____ who are also what (T____, 2016).

Evaluation of Marxist perspective of education- strengths

✓-useful in exposing the ‘myth of meritocracy’

• shows the role that education plays as an ideological state apparatus, serving the interests of capitalism by reproducing and legitimating class inequality

✓-there is strong evidence for the reproduction of class inequality in elite jobs, such as medicine, law, and journalism.

• A disproportionately high number of people in these professions were educated in private institutions and come from families who are also highly educated (Thompson, 2016).

Evaluation of Marxist perspective of education- limitations

✗-post-modernists criticise Bowles and Gintis’ correspondence principle

• they argue that it may not be a_____ in today’s c____ l____ market where employers increasingly require workers to be able to do what

• post-modernists also argue that education now reproduces d____ not i____

✗-Willis’ Learning to Labour study

Willis rejects the view that school simply does what (however what is wrong with his small-scale study)

✗- post modernists e.g M____ and T____ criticise Marxists for taking a ‘class first’ approach

that sees c___ the key i____. Society is now more d___, factors like e___, g___ and s____ must be also taken to consideration

✗-H___ G____, says the theory is too d_____.

He argues that working class pupils are not entirely moulded by what, and do not a____ everything that they are taught

✗-feminists argue it ignores the role of patriarchy

M____ M____ (1980) argues B and G ignore the fact that schools reproduce not only capitalism but patriarchy

Evaluation of Marxist perspective of education- limitations
✗-post-modernists criticise Bowles and Gintis’ correspondence principle

• they argue that it may not be applicable in today’s complex labour market where employers increasingly require workers to be able to think rather than to just be passive robots.

• post-modernists also argue that education now reproduces diversity not inequality

✗-Willis’ Learning to Labour study

• Willis rejects the view that school simply brainwashes pupils into passively accepting their fate (however his small-scale study (12 boys) is unlikely to be representative of other pupils experience

✗- post modernists e.g Morrow and Torres criticise Marxists for taking a ‘class first’ approach

• that sees class as the key inequality. Society is now more diverse, factors like ethnicity, gender and sexuality must be also taken to consideration

✗-Henry Giroux, says the theory is too deterministic.

• He argues that working class pupils are not entirely moulded by the capitalist system, and do not accept everything that they are taught

✗-feminists argue it ignores the role of patriarchy

• Madeleine MacDonald (1980) argues B and G ignore the fact that schools reproduce not only capitalism but patriarchy