What the Marxist View on Education? Part 1
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Cornell Notes
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Marxists view education as based in class division and capitalist exploitation, in contrast to the value consensus philosophy of functionalists.
Karl Marx indicated that capitalism is a two-class system; the capitalist class, or bourgeoisie minority class, that includes employers who own the means of production (i.e. factories, office buildings, property). The proletariat (or working class) is the other one that includes those who do not own means of production and are forced to sell their labour skills as their only income source. This results in underpaid workers in a capitalist system that alienates and disenfranchises workers with no control over their circumstances.
This situation creates class conflict, like when exploited workers realise their need for higher pay, better working conditions or the elimination of the capitalist system. Marx believed these individuals would join forces to overthrow a capitalist system to create a classless equal society.
However, capitalism persists based on the ruling class’ ability to control the state through the education system by perpetuating capitalism principles and suppressing revolutionary ideals.
This video includes concepts and sociologists such as:
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- Class division
- Class conflict
- Althusser
- Ideological State Apparatuses
- Bowles and Gintis
- Hidden Curriculum
- Correspondence principle
If you want further videos on the Marxist perspective’s view on education or more in-depth A-Level sociology videos on the sociology of education then just click the links on this page.
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