Los estragos del neoliberalismo y la Educación Pública

  1. Pardo Pérez, Juan Carlos
  2. García Tobío, Alfonso
Journal:
Educatio siglo XXI: Revista de la Facultad de Educación

ISSN: 1699-2105

Year of publication: 2003

Volume: 20-21

Issue: 1

Pages: 39-85

Type: Article

More publications in: Educatio siglo XXI: Revista de la Facultad de Educación

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 financial benef t. Neoliberalism policies result in tax reforms which reduce taxes both on people's incomes and companies' prof ts. It also leads to: de-standardization which gets rid of the hindrances to financial, 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 profitable in financial 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.