Marxist Perspective

Marxists see education as a tool used by the ruling class (bourgeoisie) to maintain capitalism and inequality.

Althusser (Ideological State Apparatus)

• Education transmits ruling class ideology, keeping the working class submissive.

• Reproduces class inequalities by legitimising capitalism as ‘natural.’

Bowles and Gintis (Correspondence Principle & Hidden Curriculum)

• Education reflects the workplace (hierarchies, authority, discipline).

• Hidden curriculum teaches obedience and conformity.

• Myth of meritocracy – convinces people that failure is due to lack of effort, not class inequality.

Willis (Learning to Labour – Counter-School Culture)

• Studied working-class ‘lads’ who rejected school values.

• Their rebellion prepared them for working-class manual jobs, perpetuating class inequalities.

• rejects the idea that working class can get mc jobs by working hard

Criticisms:

• Too deterministic – not all students passively accept ruling class ideology.

• Some working-class students succeed despite inequalities.

• Highlights Class Inequality

• ignores gender and ethnicity