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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 36, Number 17. July 18th, 1973

No Competition to Succeed

No Competition to Succeed

Among these children there is not the competition to succeed in order to gain favour, or the struggle to become educated to get a "good" job, which in New Zealand and other capitalist coutries, does not include manual work. This ideological education promotes the attribute of despising manual work, prevalent among the middle and upper class whom the kindegartens primarily serve. There is a distinction between jobs of a high class and much sought after, and jobs of a low class. This depicts the basis of the structure of the capitalist system — a class structure.

In China, serving the people is the prime motivation for children's learning and they learn well for this reason. Along with the political motivation there consciously develops attitudes of selflessness and a spirit of co-operation. It is here in China we see the application of Marxism—Leninism— Mao Tsetung thought in practice and succeeding to reconstructing China along socialist principles.

In New Zealand the prime motivation for children's learning, although they do not realise it, is to become successful members of the capitalist systems. To succeed in this system children have to compete and adopt selfish attitudes. In the competitive struggle for high class jobs the middle and upper class always win because they are better equipped by the education system to do this. The education system at all levels, beginning with preschool serves to perpetuate the class structure of capitalism and benefit the successful middle and upper class who in return oppress those of the working class in all fields of life. China's political basis for education of children in the values of socialist society is evident in practice in their day to day life. It is living proof that socialist society is successful and leads to a better life for all people, collectively.