analyse 2 marxist claims about the role of education in capitalist society (10 marks)

One marxist claim about the role of education in a capitalist society is that is contains features of the ruling class habitus, which, as a result, puts the working class at a disadvantage as interest of the different social classes are fundamentally different. Marxist writer Bourdieu sees a key role of the education system, in a capitalist society, is the legitimisation of class inequalities and the reproduction of class structure. He argues each-class possesses their own habitus - framework of ideas - with the ruling class imposing their habitus on the education system. those who come from better off, middle-class backgrounds have more access to the culture of the dominant class. Bourdieu refers to this advantage as cultural capital. he therefore suggests success in the education system is based on the possession of cultural capital and of access to the habitus of the dominant class. Contrastingly, functionalists would argue that the role of education is to provide a bridge between particularistic values and universalistic values.
Additionally, marxist writer Althusser asserts that a second role of the education system in a capitalist society is to socialise workers into accepting the dominant class ideology - creating a false consciousness - by acting as an ideological state apparatus.. he argues that to prevent the working class from rebelling against their exploitation, the ruling class must win their hearts and minds by persuading them to accept ruling class ideology. This persuasion is carried out by the hidden curriculum which covertly teaches pupils the characteristics of being a good worker, such as punctuality through the threat of having a detention if they are late to school or class.However, it is argued that this view is somewhat deterministic as Althusser assumes people have no real choice over what they do or don't accept.