Discourse of Meritocracy - Assignment Example

For Marx, class divisions were inevitable in society due to the nature of capitalism which divided people into capitalists and proletarians with the class owning the means of production dominating the others and its ideas (ruling class ideas) are the dominant or universal ideas (Morrison, 1995). As such, the dominant class ideas are legitimized and universal thus masking any class differences.

Social inequalities in society are enhanced by differences in wealth, power, and prestige. Despite being a highly stratified society, Australia boasts of having an egalitarian society where equal opportunity for all is encouraged especially through the education system. The question is, does education really bring about social equality or does it serve to reproduce inequalities in society? The idea of education resulting in inequality is based on the discourse of meritocracy whereby inequality is determined by one's ability (Van Krieken, 2010). Education in this case is supposed to play a crucial role in eliminating social inequality through the provision of universal primary and secondary education. All are accorded the opportunity to climb up the social ladder but since the individuals have different abilities, the outcomes of education are different resulting in inequalities, that is, “those who get ahead do so based on own merit” (Carl, 2012: 47).

If all people are accorded equal education opportunities regardless of race or gender or socioeconomic classes, why do social inequalities still exist? The principle of meritocracy just serves to mask the impact of social class on educational achievement. Though functionalists would argue that some positions are important and thus higher rewards must be given to attract potential workers, how is this level of importance determined? Why is a doctor more valued than a teacher or a soldier yet their services are essential? This goes to prove that education just reproduces social inequalities. Though individuals from different backgrounds attend the same schools, their experiences are different thus affecting their educational achievements (Moore, 2004).

According to the protestant work ethic, individuals should work hard for better rewards in the future (Weber 1976 [1930]) thus a person’s identity is defined by the work they do and not what they are. However, Carl (2012) and Van Krieken (2010) note that many other factors are in play in affecting education achievement. First, people from the middle class already have an advantage over the working class before entering higher education. They are socialized to become professionals and are provided with the materials needed to achieve this since childhood. Those from the working class attend public primary schools hence disadvantaged. Furthermore, children from wealthy families are well connected in the labor market thus getting employment more easily widening social inequalities. According to conflict theorists, therefore, stratification is not inevitable since the “system rewards individuals based on where they start and notability” (Carl 2012: 48). In other words, class determines who gets what even in terms of education.

The nature of the education curriculum also serves to sustain inequalities. For structural functionalists, education is “a means of selecting, sorting, and assigning individuals into different places within the economy” (Van Krieken 2010: 173). Students thus take different subjects which may be influenced by social class thus affecting their achievements. Besides, some pupils judge themselves according to how other people view them and this may affect education. For example, if the teacher believes children from the working class are not achievers they may concentrate more on middle-class children thus affecting education outcomes. As Paul Willis in his study observed, some consequences are unintended not planned (Van Krieken, 2010: 182). Meritocracy thus just serves to legitimate further inequalities by masking the effects of social class on educational achievement. Read More