Marxist perspectives on education - Louis Althusser

2. 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.

3. 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

4. Transmits
ruling class
ideology;
Rewards
conformity
and
obedience;
Prepares pupils
for their role in
the workplace;
Legitimises
inequality
and disguises
exploitation;
Reproduces new
generations of
workers,
schooled to
accept their
place in capitalist
society.

5. MARXISM: THE ROLE OF EDUCATION
LOUIS 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 REPRESSIVE
STATE
APPARATUS
(RSA)
The IDEOLOGICAL STATE
APPARATUS (ISA)

6. * 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.

7. The IDEOLOGICAL STATE
APPARATUS (ISA)
EDUCATION
Ruling class values?
EDUCATION
Ideological indoctrination?

8. 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.
1.
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.