Marxists view society as based on conflict. They believe that the role of all institutions in society can be understood in terms of how they relate to the economic system, therefore see the education system as an institution which reproduces the class system and provides a suitable workforce. According to Marxists, the role of the education system is to provide workers for every part of the economy.

Marxist view comes from Bowls and Gintis who highlight a strong correspondence between what is learnt in schools and what is required in workers for the Capitalist system. For example, they found that in school the pupils who succeed the most are obedient and unquestioning, rather than independent and inquisitive. This suggest that Bowles and Gintis believe that these qualities are valued in workers as they will accept the authority of their employers, and not question their orders. Bowles and Gintis believe that the content of the curriculum is not very important and that pupils learn most from the ‘hidden curriculum’, that is; the experience of being in school e.g. getting used to doing boring things for the reward of the qualification etc.
However Bowles and Gintis have been criticised mainly because they did not actually conduct any research in schools.

Further support for this Marxist view comes from Willis. Willis studied a group of 12 working class boys during the last year of their education and the first few months of their employment. He used qualitative methods of observation, diaries and group interviews. He found that these working class boys adopted a counter school culture. They did not believe education had anything to offer them and therefore did not work. Through this culture they disadvantaged themselves and ended up in working class jobs.
This supports the Marxist theory because Willis believed this counter school culture was unique to the working class, so although the lads were actively failing