Marxist_and_Functionalist_Debate

Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the view that the education system exists mainly to select and prepare young people for their future work roles. (20 marks - Jan 2011) Some people would agree that education is vital to create a fully functioning society. This is believed by a group of sociologist know as "Functionalists." They have a theory called "biological analogy," which is the comparison of society with the body parts. For example all the body parts work together to create a healthy (functioning) person. In the same way society because it is believed that if one thing is wrong in society (in the body e.g. heart) we would not be able to function as people (so if family, law, education ......... is wrong or bad, society would deteriorate). In this essay I will be discussing education in this idea and argue weather education is just a way to keep us indoctrinated and obey the higher class. This point is believed by a group of sociologists called "Marxists." Firstly, functionalist believe that schools prepare us for the working world. This is done by teaching us Ict, numeracy and literacy skills. This is shown by Bowles and Gintis's theory that "schools mirror the workplace." However, Marxists would argue that education is just a way to make us become obedient and respect authority by children being indoctrinated to look up to the higher class. To leave us with no brain so that we cannot question "Capitalism" or see that we are being "exploited." We can see this view clearly from Bourdieu when in 1973 he claimed that "education benefits the ruling class, who possess cultural capital." It is clear in Article 1 that there are many graduates who cannot find work (in the carrier they want or not at all) at the moment due to the population competition and the fact that Capitalism is employing people for longer hours with little pay. This could become a big issue in the future and a outburst of riot could occur to get rid of Capitalism. If we are not working how can we be prepared to work' Secondly, we argue the fact that is it fair that schools use "role allocations." For example the highest achieving students are given more help so that they take up big jobs like being a doctors. Whereas the less academic might be ignored or encouraged to do a simple job like working in a cheap restaurant. This is said by sociologists, named Gillborn and Youdell in 2000, when they stated "marketisation encouraged schools to focus on A* - C grade students, and neglect very high and very low achievers." The reason the education system might do this is to spread out the jobs. However this work's perfect in Marxist cases because proved that society is being trued unequally and Communism would be more equal. On the other hand a communist country could have a lack of people willing to perform less sophisticated jobs. Also, there is this idea that schools teach us to have social control. This is the idea of informal learning. Functionalist say that this is to teach us the norms and morals of society and to learn how to be a happy person in the community. On the other hand Marxists argue that it is to keep us obedient to the upper class. The biggest debate is in Article 4 because we can see that children are not respecting adults because they are not following the rules and are assaulting teachers. This can prove Functionalist's wrong because we are not being taught value's but also Marxists because it shows that we are not being indoctrinated. On top of this, Schools are also meant to help us socialize. Functionalist's believe that this is by the team work that we produce during school. It teaches us equality. Whereas, Marxists would argue that this is only to make us work with people who are in the same social group with us so that we are all even and do not realize that we are being exploited (compared to the upper class). Are schools truly fare though because a sociologist named Becker founded in 1977 "that teachers make judgements and label their students in the first 5 minutes of meeting them, based on their own image of an 'ideal middle class student'". In a way this concept is a lot like society in a way because everybody makes judgement and therefore perfectly links to the question "does school mirror the workplace (or life)'" Lastly, schools use a system known as "Meritocracy." This is where student that do well are rewarded and students that do not are punished. Factionists say that this is a great was to make people want to be high achievers whereas the Marxists will disagree and say that it is just another form to show inequality because if means student that do not achieve will become de-motivated and some people that keep achieving will become too casual. In Article 3 we see that the number of kids truanting from school has risen drastically. Is this because they are de-motivated' In conclusion it is clear that schools are definitely set up in a way to make kids do better in their work life. The best work you get out of a worker, the more money you get to support Capitalism. However, do the Marxist have a point that unintentionally (perhaps) schools are actually showing inequality by using "Role Allocation" and "Meritocracy." I do however disagree with the fact that schools indoctrinate us because there are many subjects we study which teach us to question and analyse. For example, history, sociology, media, drama, art ............... At the end of the day the key to our future is in our hand and it is up to us to choice the direction we take. Just look at people like Lord Alan Sugar who began a billionaire even though he started off with nothing. Due to our current situation "the depression" could we see a revolution occur' Yes, we know that schools do try to prepare us for working life but they are not doing enough to help the children that are being unemployed. Thank you for reading this essay and I hope you understand the different views on education and the links that it has with work. The biggest question that you should ask yourself is do you think the education system make children loss their creativity'