Marxism as Philosophy of Education

Stephanie Dianne M. Roda

Early
Life and
 Education

• Marx was born in Trier, Prussia (present-day Germany) on May 5, 1818, toHeinrich
Marx and Henrietta Pressberg.
• Marx's parents were Jewish, and he came from a long line of rabbis onbothsidesof his
family.
• However, his father converted to Lutheranism to evade antisemitismpriortoMarx's
birth.
• Marx was educated at home by his father until high school, and in1835at theageof 17,
enrolled at Bonn University in Germany, where he studied lawat hisfather's request.
• Marx, however, was much more interested in philosophy and literature.

Early
Life and
 Education

• In 1836, Marx enrolled at the University of Berlin, where he soon felt at homewhen he
joined a circle of brilliant and extreme thinkers who were challengingexisting institutions
and ideas, including religion, philosophy, ethics, andpolitics.
• Marx graduated with his doctoral degree in 1841.Marx moved to Brussels, in1845, where
he founded the German Workers’ Party and was active intheCommunist League.
• There, Marx networked with other leftist intellectuals and activists and—togetherwith
Engels—wrote his most famous work,
"The Communist Manifesto."
Published in 1848, it contained the famous line: "Workers of the worldunite. Youhave
nothing to lose but your chains."
• After being exiled from Belgium, Marx finally settled in London where helivedas a stateless
exile for the rest of his life.
Communist Manifesto
• The Communist Manifesto embodies the authors’ materialistic conceptionofhistory (“The
history of all hitherto existing society is the history of classstruggles”), and it surveys
that history from the age of feudalismdownto19th-century capitalism, which was
destined, they declared, to be overthrownandreplaced by a workers’society. The
communists, the vanguard of theworkingclass, constituted the section of society that
would accomplish the “abolitionofprivate property” and “raise the proletariat to the
position of rulingclass.”

• The Communist Manifesto opens with the dramatic words

“AspectreishauntingEurope—the spectre of communism” and ends by stating,
“The proletarianshave
nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.
Workingmenofallcountries, unite.”

The
 Relationship Between
Communism and Marxism

• Communism is a political and economic systemin whichthemeansof

production are owned and controlled by the community. At thesame time,
Marxism is a social, economic, and political theorydeveloped by Karl
Marx.
• Marxism aims to create a classless society by
abolishingprivateproperty, while communism aims to create a
communitywherewealth is distributed equally among all members.
• Marxism is a theory that provides the basis for communismandothersocialist
movements, while communismis an applicationof Marxisttheory.
Marxism
❿ Developed by Karl Marx
in the 19th century ❿ Marx
and Engels wrote the
famous “Communist
Manifesto” in 1846 ❿
Marx developed the
political system known as
Communism

Class
-the
basis
 of
Marxist theory
❿When considering
Marxist theory it is
useful to remember the 3
Cs;
❿ Class
❿ Conflict
❿ Capitalism ❿ These
provide a “baseline” to Marxist theory

Class
 -the basis of Marxist theory

❿ Marx was concerned by the

inequalities between social classes ❿ A
very small proportion of wealthy people
owned huge amounts of land and factories
❿ Marx called these people the
BOURGEOISIE and the land or
factories they owned the MEANS OF
PRODUCTION
❿ Most of the people worked for the
Bourgeoisie as waged labourers
❿ These waged labourers were named the
PROLETARIAT and were
exploited, claimed Marx, by
the bourgeoisie as they
earned only enough money to
survive.
❿ All the Proletariat owned
was their labour and thus had
no control over their working
lives and no share in the
profits
they became
❿ Factory production lines meant
“alienated” from
their craft
• The differences between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat
demonstrateawide class division.
• According to Marx, the interests of the bourgeoisie or ruling class wereprotected and
promoted.
• The ensuing social inequalities caused conflict in society. • Capitalism also causes
conflict of interest between the classes. • The need for the bourgeoisie to make profits is
in conflict with the needofthe
proletariat to earn enough money to have decent living standards. • Profits
certainly came first during the Industrial Revolution. • The bourgeoisie became
extremely wealthy while the proletariat workedlonghours for little pay and lived
in squalor.

How
does
 Education
fit in with Marxism?
•
• Why did the proletariat put up with these harsh andunfair conditions?
Marx believed the proletariat existed in a state of
FALSECLASSCONSCIOUSNESS – they accepted their life and
situationas • Capitalist Ideology, gave legal protection to the
inevitable
bougeoisieandtaught the proletariat that powerful members of
societydeserved • This is described as Hegemony – the dominant
respect
culturebasedonaset • How was this ideology transmitted?
of fixed beliefs
Through institutionssuchas
Religion, Government, Family and •
EDUCATION
❿ Marx was describing a society 150 years ago but modern Marxists
believe his ideas to be broadly true
❿ Social classes are not as sharply
divided nowbut harsh inequalities
remain
❿ Modern Marxists believe that the
education system is one of the main agents
of control, depriving working class
children of opportunities to improve their situation
Values in Marxism
 A Marxist is dedicated to the welfare of the state andthepeople.He is
guided by certain values which may be briefly stated: • (a) To develop a respect for
public property;
• (b) To develop a respect for authority;
• (c) Patriotism is not an important Marxist value;
• (d) To develop respect for parents, elderly people and all classes of laborers; • (e)
Common good occupies an important position in Marxism; • (f) In Marxist state there is no
existence of private property; • (g) Discipline in public life is another important value in
Marxist philosophy;• (h) Marxism attaches highest importance to the value of labor.

Aims of
 Education in Marxism

• Develop the critical thinking skills of students so that theycanquestion the

status quo and work towards creating a morejust andequitable society.
• Promote social mobility and equality by providing all studentswiththe
opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of theirsocialclass or
background.
• Instill in students a sense of social responsibility and commitmenttoworking
for the common good.
• Prepare students for the workforce by teaching
themtheskillsandknowledge they need to be successful in a socialist
society.

The role
of the
 teacher
in a Marxist setting is to:

• Teach students about the history, theory,

andpracticeofMarxism.
• Help students to develop their critical thinkingskillssothatthey
can question the status quo and work towardscreatingamore just
and equitable society.
• Promote social mobility and equality by providingall students with
the opportunity to reach their full potential,regardless of their social
class or background. • Instill in students a sense of social
responsibilityand
howMarxisteducators might put these aims into practice:

• A Marxist teacher might teach a lesson on the history of the labor movement,
focusing on the struggles and victories of workers throughouthistory.
• A Marxist teacher might encourage students to critically examinethemediaand to
question the messages they are being bombarded with. • A Marxist teacher might
organize a community service project for theirstudents, such as volunteering at a
homeless shelter or foodbank. • A Marxist teacher might teach a lesson on the
economic system, explainingthe relationship between capitalism, socialism, and
communism.