Marxism and the role of education

• Education has two important functions that benefit capitalism and creates class inequalities.
• According to Althusser (1971) The ruling class are unaware that the working class would revolt if they overcame their False consciousness. Furthermore, they need to control them through institutions. He believes that this is achieved by the state to keep the bourgeoisie in power using two states of apparatus.
• The two states of apparatus

  The repressive state apparatus - refers to physical control and coercion such as the police, military, courts etc.

  The ideological state apparatus- refers to control over thoughts, ideas and beliefs such as religion, education, media etc.
• Althusser argues that control over force alone wouldnt be enough because of the large number of working class, so the state had to control the way they thought. This means that the more successful the ISA were the less need for the RSA .
• How does education legitimize meritocracy?

  Education legitimizes meritocracy by ignoring art subjects and teaching subjects such as maths and literacy from a young age.

  Subjects such as sociology and politics curriculum are taught at a higher level of education instead of a core subject. This means that pupils are taught to work hard in the subjects that matter and not what they enjoy to succeed in the future.
• Bowles and Gintis conducted a study of 237 individuals in new york high schools and discovered that students who showed independence and creativity tended to receive lower grades compared to students who were obedient and followed the rules who were rewarded with higher grades. From this evidence Bowles and Gintis concluded that schools produce the obedient workers that capitalism needs. 


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• The hidden curriculum

  The hidden curriculum taught in schools helps indoctrinate students into the world of work. School mirrors the work of work known as the correspondence principle. This is seen through hierachy, rewards, punctuality etc. This prepares working class students for a life of exploitation, expectations in the work place and legitimizes inequality.
• Criticisms of Marxism and the role of education:

  • There isn’t enough evidence to prove that the ruling class want to control the working class
  • It could be argued the Marxist view is too deterministic and outdated as more working class children are getting into higher education than before.
  • Post modernists also suggest that education isn’t the only way to succeed as there is a growth in social media jobs due to technology.
• Criticisms of Bowles and Gintis:

  1. if school mirrors work to produce workers then why aren’t all students ready to work straight away after education?
  2. functionalists argue that education benefits society