Item A: Marxists take a critical view of the role of education. Capitalist society is essentially a two-class system, with ruling class exploiting the working class. Marxists see education as being run in the interests of the ruling class.
For example, Althusser argues that education is an important ideological state apparatus that helps to control people’s ideas and beliefs. He suggests education has two purposes. It reproduces class inequalities through the generations by ensuring that most working-class pupils experience educational failure. Education also legitimates this inequality, persuading the working class to accept educational and social inequalities. Other Marxists have also pointed to the existence of a hidden curriculum in schools.
Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the contribution of Marxism to our understanding of the role of education. (20 marks)
Marx believed that the ruling class do not just own the means of production but they also rule as thinkers and producers of ideas. From a young age the ruling class were taught that you should rule by ideas, which is more powerful than ruling by force. This is because some people become angry when they say no. In education you are taught certain norms and values. For example attendance, punctuality, obedience, respect – hand up in class before speaking. If the pupils do not conform to these rules then they would get punished. Marx believes that education teaches young people that you need to accept the ideas of the ruling class even if they don’t agree with them. For them to believe in this it supports the upper class and capitalism.
Critical modernists like Morrow and Torres (1998) criticise Marxists for taking a ‘class first’ approach. They see class as the key inequality and ignores all other kinds. Like postmodernists Morrow and Torres argue that society is now more diverse. They see