The Ravages of Neoliberalism and State Education

Abstract

Neoliberalism, politically and economically leading doctrine, turns market into its only reference of all human relationships. By adopting individual freedom as its highest value, it criticizes the state control specially its social policies and the welfare state because they foster a kind of egalitarism which tries to neglect freedom, competitivity and the search for fi nancial benefi t. Neoliberalism policies result in tax reforms which reduce taxes both on people’s incomes and companies’ profi ts. It also leads to: de-standardization which gets rid of the hindrances to fi nancial, commercial, and productive capital assets and privatization of state-run companies and social welfare institutions. Education is a highly relevant area to neoliberalism. Firstly because it claims to be considered as consumer goods which has to be: offered in a free market, sold and bought as well as profi table in fi nancial terms. Then, because on viewing the school as a powerful element of ideological control, it is understood that the state should exert a strong control on the curriculum. Such control should result in a school which produces the type of person required by the market capitalist system.