Education – The Marxist Perspective

Task…

Imagine that you are opening an essay about Marxist views on education. Your first paragraph must introduce Marxism in general. Write an example first paragraph, you must include these words:

Bourgeoisie, Proletariat, Inequality, Conflict Sociologists.

Examples

Capitalist ClassBourgeoisie

Working ClassProletariat

Own means of

production

Exploit the majority

Forced to sell their labour

Controls the state and education

system

? MATCH THE MARXIST BELIEFS TO THEIR CORRECT SIDE: BOURGEOISIE OR PROLETARIAT

Transmits ruling class ideology;

Prepares pupils for their role in the workplace; Legitimises

inequality and disguises exploitation;

Rewards conformity

and obedience;

Reproduces new generations of

workers, schooled to accept their

place in capitalist society.

MARXISM: THE ROLE OF EDUCATIONLOUIS ALTHUSSER (1971)Marxists see the state as the means by which the capitalist ruling class maintain their dominant position. Althusser argues that the state consists of two elements – he calls these ‘apparatuses’. Both of these serve to keep the capitalist ruling class (bourgeoisie) in power. The first is control through force, the second through ideas or ideology.

The IDEOLOGICAL STATE APPARATUS (ISA)

The REPRESSIVE STATE APPARATUS (RSA)

* The ruling class cannot hold power for long simply by the use of force. Ideological control through influencing the way people think, is the most effective way for the ruling class to maintain power over the subject class.

Ruling class values? Ideological indoctrination?

The IDEOLOGICAL STATE APPARATUS (ISA)

EDUCATION EDUCATION

Louis Althusser (1971)Education to Althusser performs 2 functions it:

1. Reproduces class inequality – by transmitting it from generation to generation, by failing each

successive generation of working class pupils in turn. It teaches working class pupils to accept failure and inequality.

2. Legitimates (justifies) class inequality - by producing ideologies (sets of ideas and beliefs) that disguise its true

cause. The function of ideology is to persuade workers to accept that inequality is inevitable and that they deserve their subordinate position in society. If they accept these ideas, they are less likely to challenge or threaten capitalism.