Long had the education been a topic of discussion especially in the United States. Every year more and more employment positions are requiring a higher level of education. There is a large debate on whether or not education allows individuals to move from their lower status in society to a higher status, or if the education system is maintaining the inequalities of society. Pierre Bourdieu stands on the idea that the education system maintains inequality. Robert Reich stands on the other side saying that education can empower those who wish to work towards it, and that it is a necessity. Davis and Moore go further on that point saying that it empowers individuals and the individuals with the best education and skills will get the best jobs.
Pierre Bourdieu (1977:78) states, “The habitus, the durably installed generative principle of regulated improvisations, produces practices which tend to reproduce the regularities immanent in the objective conditions of the production of their generative principle”. This means that individuals are groomed into becoming the same class status they are now, and it has an effect on the means they use to get their. He believes that individuals attend college because they have been conditioned throughout their life to strive to maintain their class status. It is because of this that social inequality remains; because individuals are taught to take a certain path in life because of the class they are associated with. Social inequality cares on from generation to generation with little to no change.
Robert Reich does not believe that education is retaining social inequality. He believes that with the changing of the economy, education is a necessity for all individuals in society. Education is what empowers people to do better. Given the opportunity for a good education will empower anyone to succeed and move up the class system. He believes that education, if everyone is able to obtain it, is the answer to ending social inequality...