In the modern world, we are often told that education is the “great equalizer.” The narrative is simple: work hard, get the right grades, and the doors of opportunity will swing open. But if you look closer at the landscape of global education—from the elite universities of the West to the competitive international schools in Southeast Asia—a different story emerges.
It is a story of two powerful forces colliding: Neo-Weberian Social Closure and Neoliberalism.
While they might sound like dense academic jargon, understanding how they work together is the key to seeing how social advantage is protected and passed down in the 21st century.

1. The Strategy: Social Closure
   Social closure is a concept that dates back to Max Weber but was refined by modern sociologists like Frank Parkin. At its heart, it is a strategy of monopoly.
   Social groups—whether they are doctors, the wealthy, or graduates of “Top 10” universities—seek to maximize their own rewards by restricting access to resources. They create “rules” about who is eligible to join their circle. In education, this is called exclusionary closure. By making the “entrance requirements” for success incredibly high (through expensive degrees or specific cultural “fit”), the group at the top ensures there is less competition for the best jobs and the highest status.
2. The Environment: Neoliberalism
   Neoliberalism is the dominant political and economic ideology of our time. It views everything—including education—as a market. It champions competition, individual choice, and the idea that “merit” is the only thing that matters.
   Under neoliberalism, schools are no longer just public services; they are businesses competing for “customers” (parents and students). Students are encouraged to view themselves as “human capital” and their degrees as investments with a specific Return on Investment (ROI).
3. • 
     The Collision: When Markets Meet Gatekeepers
     When these two forces meet in the world of education, they create a fascinating paradox.
     The “Marketized” Gate
     Neoliberalism claims to open markets and increase competition. However, in education, this often backfires. When parents are given “choice,” those with the most money and “cultural capital” (knowledge of how the system works) use that choice to flock to the most exclusive schools.
     This creates a form of closure through the market. Instead of a government decree deciding who goes to which school, the price and the selective admission process do the gatekeeping. The “best” schools remain closed to those who cannot afford the “entry fee,” ensuring that the elite status of those schools is preserved.
     Credential Inflation: Moving the Goalposts
     Because neoliberalism pushes everyone to get a degree to be “competitive,” we now have more graduates than ever before. This leads to credential inflation.
     When everyone has a Bachelor’s degree, that degree no longer works as a tool for social closure. To maintain their advantage, elite groups move the goalposts. Suddenly, a Master’s degree from a specific Ivy League or Russell Group university becomes the new requirement for entry into top-tier professions. The “closure” doesn’t disappear; it just becomes more expensive and harder to reach.
     Why This Matters for the Future
     For educators and leaders—especially those working in international contexts—this intersection is where the “real” policy happens.
     We see it in the way parents react to policies like China’s “Double Reduction” (双减). When the state tried to reduce the burden of tutoring, many wealthy families sought “black market” ways to maintain their children’s edge. This is social closure in action: even when the rules change, privileged groups will find new ways to close the gates behind them to ensure their children stay ahead in the neoliberal race.
     The Bottom Line
     Education has the potential to be a ladder for social mobility, but we must be honest about the forces that turn it into a fence. Neoliberalism provides the “race,” but Social Closure decides who gets to start at the front of the pack.
     Until we address how credentials and elite institutions are used to monopolize opportunity, the “great equalizer” will remain a “great gatekeeper.”