Marxism Vs Functionalism Inroduction: This essay will discuss the Marxist and Functionalist approaches to education. The essay will likewise examine the two main concepts of sociology and the education system. The way in which Marxists and Functionalists compare education is important within society. The structure and processes of education systems are related to the general process of socialization (Markedbyteachers, 2014). Socialization is how an individual participates in society. All sociologists believe that this statement is true but they have different views on how societies are structured. The consensus theory is the approach adopted by Functionalists. Functionalists view education as a positive aspect. They believe that education is very beneficial and important for the affiliation of society. If an institution exists then there must be a positive reason for it. The Functionalist perspective of education looks at education as a training system for students so they are given their appropriate place in society. However, Marxists believe that education teaches us the norms and values of the …show more content…
Durkheim was the first functionalist and he believed in social order, which means that society has shared expectations and everybody performs their role in society. This can also be known as capitalism and communism. Durkheim believed that society needs solidarity to function. A society will only operate if the necessary roles are filled and performed efficiently. Generally, without social solidarity community life and teamwork would be impossible as individuals will chase their own selfish desires (Markedbyteacher, 2014). In other words, functionalists like Durkheim believed that for a society to survive, its various social processes must come together to meet the system’s needs. Functionalists implement Durkheim’s outlook of a unified social scheme with various elements having a function within