Compare And Contrast Marxist and Functionalist Approaches to the Study of Education

Both Marxists and functionalists see education as a powerful influence on students, making sure that they conform to societies norms and values.  Functionalists believe that this will lead to social harmony, stability and social integration.  Marxists believe that this is directly in line with the kind of worker required by employers in a capitalist society.

The French Functionalist Emile Durkeim believes that the school is like a miniature version of society in that schools teach pupils how to work with others in a social context.   The Marxists Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis argue that like the work place schools are based on layers of authority, known as hierarchies.  They see teachers as giving orders and the pupils are expected to obey.

Both Marxists and Functionalists are macro theories that look at the relationship between education and other parts of the social system.  They are not concerned with the individual.

They both also see schools justifying and explaining social inequality.  Marxists see that if this inequality was seriously questioned it might threaten social stability, they say that one way of avoiding this is to promote the belief that inequality is justified.  Bowles and Gintis argue that education does this by broadcasting the myth that it offers everyone an equal chance.  

Functionalists believe that education provides a means for upward social mobility for those who have the ability.   Marxists will completely disagree with this idea and say that with the exception of a few individuals, education confirms an individual’s class of origin, as their class of destination.  They believe that education contributes to the reproduction of class inequalities between generation, and does not provide a means of upward social mobility for most people.

In conclusion Marxists are interested in the way education works in the interests of the ruling class in a capitalist society. Whereas Functionalists are mainly interested in the positive functions education performs for society and in particular, for the economy.