Marxist approach to the education system Flashcards
(15 cards)
P1: What is the Marxist view of education as an Ideological State Apparatus (ISA)?
Marxists argue that education serves the interests of capitalism by controlling students’ beliefs and maintaining ruling-class dominance.
How does Althusser (1971) explain the role of education as an ISA?
Althusser argues that education legitimises class inequality by persuading students that capitalism is natural and just.
What evidence supports the claim that education reinforces capitalist ideology?
Schools teach competition, individual achievement, and hierarchy, reinforcing the idea that inequality is fair and inevitable.
Analysis
Education brainwashes students into accepting their social position, ensuring that working-class students do not challenge capitalism.
What is the functionalist critique of the Marxist view of education?
Durkheim (1903) argues that education promotes value consensus, not ruling-class ideology, creating social cohesion rather than class conflict.
P2: What is the Marxist view of the hidden curriculum and Correspondence Principle?
Marxists argue that education prepares students for exploitation in the workforce through the hidden curriculum.
How do Bowles & Gintis (1976) explain the Correspondence Principle?
Bowles & Gintis propose that school structures mirror workplace hierarchies, conditioning students for future exploitation.
What evidence supports the claim that the hidden curriculum reinforces workplace inequalities?
Schools teach obedience, punctuality, and hierarchy, just like jobs, ensuring that working-class students are prepared for low-status employment.
How does the hidden curriculum maintain class divisions?
Working-class students are trained for low-paid jobs, while middle-class students access leadership roles, reinforcing class inequality.
What is the interactionist critique of the Marxist view of the hidden curriculum?
Willis (1977) studied working-class ‘lads’ who rejected school authority and developed an anti-school subculture, contradicting Marxist claims that education always passively conditions students.Working-class students are trained for low-paid jobs, while middle-class students access leadership roles, reinforcing class inequality.
P3: What is the Marxist view of meritocracy in education?
Marxists argue that education is not meritocratic—it falsely claims to offer equal opportunities while reproducing class inequalities.
How does Bourdieu (1977) explain the role of cultural capital in education?
Bourdieu argues that middle-class students benefit from cultural capital, meaning they already have the knowledge and skills that schools value.
What evidence supports the claim that education privileges middle-class students?
Middle-class parents can afford tutors, private schools, and extracurricular activities, giving their children an advantage over working-class students.
How does education reproduce class inequalities?
Education does not reward ability but instead privileges students from wealthier backgrounds, maintaining social class divisions.
What is the feminist critique of the Marxist view of meritocracy?
Feminists argue that Marxists focus too much on class and ignore gender inequality—Kelly (1987) highlights how STEM subjects are male-dominated, showing that education also reinforces patriarchy, not just capitalism.
