Functionalists

Functionalism and education

The basic view functionalists have of what society is that they see society as a system of independent parts held together by a shared culture or value consensus - an agreement among society`s members abut what values are important. Each part of society, such as family, educuation system or the economy, performs functions that help maintain society as a whole.

Durkheim 1903

Argued that education promotes social solidarity in a society by transmitting society`s culture - Its shared beliefs and values - from one generation to the next. 

Also argued that modern societies have complex divisions of labour and education prepares people with the specialist skills needed. 

Parsons 1961

• Argued that education is central to socialising the young and preparing them for a meritocratic society. 
• Sees the school as acting as a bridge between the family and wider society. This is needed because family and society operate on different principles, so children need to learn a new way of living if they are to cope with the wider world.
• Within the family, the child is judged by particlaristic standards, that is rules that apply only to that particular child.
• Similarly, in the family the child`s status is ascribed, that is fixed by birth.
• By contrast, both school and wider society judge us all by the same universalistic and impersonal standards.
• Likewise in both school and wider society a persons status is largely achieved, not ascribed.
• In a meritocracy everyone is given an equal opportunity, and individuals achieve rewards through their own effort and ability. 

Davis and Moore 1945

• Argue that role allocation is based on assessing individuals aptitudes and abilities schools help to match them to the job they are best suited to. 

• Social inequality is necessary in society because it ensures that the most important roles in society are filled by the most talented people. - this will encourage everyone to compete for them and society can then select the most telented individuals to fill these positions. 

• Education is important as it sifts and sorts. The most able gain the highest qualifications, which then gives them entry to the most important and highly rewarded positions. 

Blau and Duncan 1978 argue similarly that human capital is vital as is meritocratic education. Thye argue that a modern economy depends for its prosperity on using its `human capital` - its workers skills. They argue that a meritocratic education system does this best, since it enables each person to be allocated to the job best suited to their abilities. This will make most effective use of their talents and maximise their productivity. 

Evaluation of functionalist ideas

• The education system does not teach specialised skills adequately as Durkheim claims. 

• Melvin Tumin (1953) criticises Davis and Moore for being too circular with their arguement. 

• Functionalists see education as a process that instils the shared values of society as a whole but Marxists argue that education in capitalist society only transmits the ideology of a minority.