Book Review: Schooling in Capitalist America

Book Review:

Bowles, Samuel, and Herbert Gintis. Schooling in Capitalist America. New York: Basic Book, Inc., 1976. 1-340.

I read the book, Schooling in Capitalist America, written in 1976, by Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis. Bowles and Gintis present their argument that American schooling systems inhibit social mobility by encouraging social growth. They believe that the schooling systems promote capitalism in the work force because children are being groomed for the capitalist economy throughout their entire schooling career. The book outlines the distinct characteristics of a capitalist economy and proves how America is becoming more totalitarian and molding its citizens into working capitalists.

Throughout the book, Bowles and Gintis try to prove their correspondence principle, “…Schooling has contributed to the reproduction of the social relations of production largely through the correspondence between school and class structure.” (130) They believe that the school systems force their students to become a part of the economy by preparing them for the work force. They suggest that teachers represent a manager over the students much like a boss controls their employees. The authors demonstrate how students are classified and rewarded according to their personalities as well as their work ability. The schooling system works to justify economic inequalities and has been coined, the “great equalizer.” Bowles and Gintis believe that the schooling systems only add to the inequalities in American society because it separates good students from poor students, in an effort to try to allocate economic positions. Repression and inequality is not blamed on the schooling system, but on the capitalist economy.

Gintis and Bowles argue that the Capitalist economy forced schools and work places to produce people that will contribute to the prospering economy. Accordingly, it is evident that Capitalist economies are more focused on the profit and outcome, rather than the human need. They argue that Capitalist economies work oppositely of democracies because Capitalism is focused on profit. Thus Capitalism centers on the minority, which is managers and capitalists, rather than the majority of the work force.

I found this book to be a bit dry in the beginning, but as I continued to read it, it began to grasp my interest. I found in interesting to read a critique of the American schooling system from an outside perspective. I believe that Bowles and Gintis are correct in the way that our schooling system prepares us for the work force and separates the students by their ability to perform. From my perspective as a student, I feel as though I have experienced the pressures of being formed into a worker for the Capitalist economy, but I view this as a positive outcome of my education. However, I found the preparation for the capitalist economy is more focused at the college level than in pre-k through twelfth grade. After reading this book, it made me take a different view point about the American economy and how our schooling system supports out Capitalist tendencies.