Marxist Perspective on Education Essay -- Education

Education system is seen as an important part of the superstructure in society. This statement was written in a Marxism perspective by individuals who see education not just an important part of the superstructure but as well an important aspect in a child life. Even though Karl Marx himself did not widely write about education, many of his followers did. This paper will look at how class and alienation which is a theory that Karl Marx wrote, plays a part in education and a general look at the perspective and how it relates to education. Secondly this essay will look at how other perspective not only relates to Marxism but as well as education. Lastly, this paper will look at how Marxism perspective can play an important role in the future of education. Class and Alienation is one of the theories that Marx’s came up with, which can also be used when looking at education. This is a theory that shows how a Marx’s perspective critiques the function of schooling society. According to Marxists, education does not give everybody a fair chance and that it uses the â€Å"alienation of schoolwork† (idea that children will do the work if they are rewarding for doing it), to socially control people until they are ready for ‘exploitation’ in the world of work (Functions of Education According to Functionalists and Marxists , 2009). Alienation for Marx was based on work where to alienated labour there was two steps, the first one was to alienate nature from man and second was to alienate man from himself from his own active function, his life activity so it alienates him from the species (Grusky, 2001). When looking at this statement and comparing it to education, one can see the similarities between the two. Marxist claim that alienation bein... ...rom http://socyberty.com/education/the-functions-of-education-according-to-functionalists-and-marxists/ Cole, M. (2004). US Imperialism, Transmodernism and Education: a Marxist critique. Policy Futures in Education, 633-643. Fekete, P. (2002). Perspectives on Education. 1-6. Grusky, D. B. (2001). Alienation and Social Classes . Social Stratification: Class, Race, and Gender in Sociological Perspective , 87-105. Kellner, D. (n.d.). Marxian Perspectives on Educational Philosophy: From Classical Marxism to Critical Pedagogy . 1-19. Nathaila, P. M. (2010). Not Neo-Marxist, Not Post-Marxist, Not Marxian, Not Autonomist Marxism: Reflections on a Revolutionary (Marxist) Critical Pedagogy. Cultural Studies , 251-262. Small, R. (2005). Marx and Education . Hampshire : Ashgate Publishing Limited . tubbs, N. (1999). Marx. Encyclopaedia of Philosophy of Education, 1-6.