Main points

- See society as if based on capitalism- system where most people work for an
employer who provides wages
- Conflict theory based on the Class difference between the bourgeoisie and the
proletariat
- Structural theory and think that institutions are larger than the individuals

Marxism on education:
Traditional Marxists understand that education is controlled by the elite class (The
Bourgeoisie) and schools forms a central part of the superstructure through which they
maintain ideological control of the proletariat.

Louis Altusser argued that state education formed part of the ‘ideological state
apparatus’: the government and teachers control the masses by injecting millions of
children with a set of ideas which keep people unaware of their exploitation and make them
easy to control.
- It transmits a general ideology which states that capitalism is just and reasonable –
the natural and fairest way of organising society
- Schools encourage pupils to passively accept their future roles by ‘allocating roles’.

Bowles and Gintis suggest that there is a correspondence principle between values learnt at
school and the way in which the workplace operates. The values, they suggested, are taught
through the ‘Hidden Curriculum’, which consists of those things that pupils learn through
the experience of attending school 

Passive subservience of pupils to teachers corresponds to the passive subservience of

workers to managers; acceptance of hierarchy (authority of teachers) corresponds to the
authority of managers.

students are motivated by grades not learning which corresponds to being motivated by
wages, not the joy of the job.

wealthier pupils tend to get the best education and then go onto to get middle class jobs.
Meanwhile working-class children are more likely to get a poorer standard of education and
end up in working class jobs. In this way class inequality is reproduced

schools spread the ‘myth of meritocracy’ – in school we learn that we all have an equal
chance to succeed and that our grades depend on our effort and ability. Thus, if we fail, we
believe it is our own fault. This legitimates or justifies the system because we think it is fair
when in reality it is not.

There is a persistent correlation between social class background and educational

achievement – with the middle classes able to take advantage of their material and cultural
capital to give their children a head start and then better grades and jobs. It is also the case
that children are not taught about this unfairness in schools, although a small handful do
learn about it in Sociology classes.
Criticisms:
Willis argued that pupils rebelling is evidence that not all pupils are brainwashed into being
passive, subordinate people as a result of the hidden curriculum. However, the working-
class boys result of their active rebellion against the school was still the reproduction of
class inequality. Thus, this aspect of Marxism is supported by Willis’ work.

Henry Giroux, says the theory is too deterministic. He argues that working class pupils are
not entirely molded by the capitalist system, and do not accept everything that they are
taught.

many jobs do not require a passive and obedient workforce, but require an active and
creative workforce.

Against the principle of correspondence:  Schools clearly do not inject a sense of passive
obedience into today’s students – many jobs do not require a passive and obedient
workforce, but require an active and creative workforce.