marxism

• Althusser (1971) - state apparatus 


  the education system produced an efficient, obedient labour force through technical skills and control

  state consists of two elements used to keep the bourgeoisie in power; Repressive State Apparatus (RSA) and Ideological State Apparatus (ISA)
• Repressive State Apparatus (RSA)

  maintain rule of bourgeoisie by threat or force, potentially physical - police, courts
• Ideological State Apparatus (ISA)

  maintain rule of bourgeoisie by controlling people's ideas, values and beliefs (false class consciousness) - media, school
• Bourdieu - reproduction of inequalities


  the dominant class and ideology (bourgeoisie) maintains class inequality through education due to the middle class habitus so working class students find it difficult which causes self fulfilling prophecy allowing the bourgeoisie stay in power
• Bowles and Gintis - schooling in capitalist America

  • capitalism requires an obedient workforce - studied 237 New York high school students found that traits associated with a submissive and compliant worker were rewarded in school
  • correspondence principle - format of school corresponds to the format of work (hidden curriculum) and prepares pupils for their role as workers in capitalist society
  • myth of meritocracy - false class consciousness legitimises dominant position of bourgeoisie
• Fordism - correspondence principle


  1900s - birth of mass production and a clear aim to create an obedient and controlled workforce - factory lines created, unions banned and security used to manage troublemakers
• Willis (1977) - learning to labour 


  disagreed with the idea that the proletariat positively accept their place

  when studying 'The Lads' he found they rejected the dominant meritocratic ideology of the school

  noticed the similarities between the Lads and the culture in manual jobs

  even by resisting, the counter culture of the lads allowed them to be successful in the work capitalists need them to perform

  lack of qualifications ensures they end up in unskilled jobs

  being used to being bored at school means they are prepared for tedious unskilled work