Teaching Marxist political economy in Chinese universities: why not earlier?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Existing political socialization studies assert that one’s important political attitudes are shaped early in life. However, these studies have difficulty explaining why China has greatly reduced Marxist political education in basic education in recent years, while enhancing it at the college level. This article compares 43 Economics students and 38 Politics students at a University in Shanghai to explore how the divide between basic education’s and higher education’s teaching of Marxist political economy impacts university students’ learning. Data were drawn from questionnaires and interviews collected in 2016. Findings reveal that, although most students with pre-university political learning experiences developed a more positive attitude toward Marxist political economy and related political participation, there was significant divide between students’ learning, based on their formal/informal university political education experience, the location of their hometown, and their family background.