EDUCATION FOR Social Reproduction

Social reproduction is a concept originally proposed by Karl Marx in Das Kapital, and is a variety of his broader idea ofreproduction. According to sociologist Christopher B. Doob, it “refers to the emphasis on the structures and activities that transmit social inequality from one generation to the next”.^[1] According to Bourdieu there are four types of capital that contributes to social reproduction in society. They are financial 

Four Types of CapitalFinancial capital refers to the income and wealth of a person. Financial capital will influence the cultural capital one receives. Cultural capital is the shared outlook, beliefs, knowledge, and skills that are passed between generations. Cultural capital influences Human capital, which refers to the education and job training a person receives. Human capital creates the ability for one to attain social capital, which is essentially the social network to which one belongs. Social capital can largely influence one’s ability to find an internship or job.

All four forms of capital play a role in social reproduction because capital is passed from generation to generation and keeps people in the same social class as their parents before them. This keeps reproducing inequality through the system of social stratification.^[1]

Connections to Sociology of Education

Social Reproduction when co-opted with Cultural reproduction allow for Sociology of Education to assume its roles.^[2]Education is an attempt at leveling the playing field. Allowing those in poor class a chance to move up. But at the same time fails in many critical ways. Education is costly. Better schools, means better equipment, better books, and better teachers. All of which remain beyond the poverty lines pay grade. So higher education becomes strictly if not mostly just for high class. Leaving lower class with much less to work with, as well as less opportunities.^[3]

The education system in many high income countries polarizes individuals from a young age. It creates elites that care little for those in the classes beneath them, thinks they should earn extraordinarily more than everyone else, all the while defining people by the jobs they have and that that is why they live in relative poverty. The system strives to fulfill the status quota, so the children can be greatly denigrated. As the rich take in an ever increasing amount of the country's wealth, there is less and less for the populace resulting in poorer education.^[4]

Social Class System

Social Reproduction is the passing on of social inequality across generations. Upper class have many advantages, with more money comes the ability to have even more resources to get ahead. This goes vice versa for lower classes, with less money there are less resources. "Class-struggle between capital and labor is forced into the background"^[8] Social reproduction revolves around the understanding that rich breed rich, and the poor breed poor. Those born into a particular class are more often then not bound to live there lives in that class. The statistics are of U.S population.