1.The Repressive State Apparatus is made up of the military, law enforcement, the court system, and the correctional facilities.Althusser describes it as “repressive” because it uses force and punishment rather than persuasion. This shows how these systems oppress dissent, limit freedoms, and uphold the ruling class.Which I find very interesting.

2.Ideological State Apparatuses are institutions that influence people’s thoughts and uphold the current social order without using violence.Which is the exact opposite from repressive state apparatus.

3.One of the main distinctions between Repressive State Apparatuses and Ideological State Apparatuses is that RSAs mainly rely on physical force and violence to uphold social order, while ISAs focus on influencing people’s beliefs and actions through ideology, typically utilizing institutions such as schools, media, and religion. It is important to note that what may work for some individuals within these systems may not necessarily be effective for the majority.

4.

1. A Repressive State Apparatus is when you are controlled through the fear of enforcement, which includes things such as the police, courts and prison. Althusser calls it repressive because the enforcement restrains the amount of freedom and choices that people can actually make within their lives. You don’t really have a choice that you can make when the threat of enforcement exists should you fail to comply with authority. An example of this would be someone seeing a sign on a bus that says “Assaulting MTA New York City Transit personnel is a felony punishable by up to 7 years in prison”. This person would then fear even the idea of attacking a MTA staff since they wouldn’t want to go to prison for 7 years.
2. The Ideological State Apparatuses are the natural thoughts and ideas that you are exposed to on a daily basis that you want to emulate in order to live a life that is deemed “normal”, which maintains the status quo. The way that it works is that multiple options are presented within many different aspects of life (politics, advertising, entertainment, etc) in order to give people the feeling that their choices matter and will greatly affect their position within their life, however, it turns out that these choices are simply an illusion that doesn’t change much within a person’s life within the grand scheme of things and ultimately keeps them within the status quo that has been established by the authority.
3. The difference between Ideological and Repressive State Apparatuses is that Ideological State Apparatuses are the ideas and thoughts within society that maintain status quo through people wanting to follow them naturally (since most people just want to live out their lives and feel “normal”) while the Repressive State Apparatuses are the fields of enforcement that come out when people aren’t following the status quo (while also being around to show to everyone what happens to those who do rebel against the authority).
4. The example that I have posted is a No Trespassing sign that mentions that those who do will be subjected to arrest. I feel that this is an example of a Repressive Ideological Apparatus, since it shows the threat of enforcement via the police should you not comply with the authority of that property.

1. Repressive State Apparatus is when punishment starts to play a role and by that is when you break a rule or the law you go to prison.  I quote “ You have two choices: you can accept authority and discipline or if you don’t accept it when the repressive apparatus begins to take away your corporeal freedom, detention or prison. Of course this is not a real choice but this lesson is preparing for the rest of your life in which you’ll continue to have no real choice .” This is saying that if you don’t accept authority that your freedom would be taken away , end up in prison and even detention.

2. Ideological State Apparatus are the law/ rule makers that make the rules that we follow growing up and the ones we follow on a daily basis I would say. I quote “ Ideological apparatuses do most of the work so that the police and courts only need to step in when they fail to put people in their place. Ideological state Apparatuses prevent change to the status quo and include schools,politics and the mass media.” 

3. Repressive and Ideological State Apparatuses are different from each other and maybe ways. Repressive plays a part when it comes down to people disobeying the law. Ideological are the ones that follow the rules . Here is an example of Ideological,” Ideological state apparatus because they are mandatory,”No other ideological state apparatus has the obligatory audience of the totality of children in the capitalist social formation, eight hours a day for five or six days.-Althusser” An example of Repressive apparatus begins to take away your corporeal freedom, detention or prison. Of course this is not a real choice but this lesson is preparing you for the rest of your life in which you’ll continue to have no real choice.”

4.Ideological State Apparatuses shape our beliefs and values without using force. These include things like schools and media.

“In school you are taught to follow a strictly regimented schedule seven or eight hours of lessons broken up by an hour of leisure: always the same everyday. You are taught to submit to authority, to obey, not to speak out of turn, to share your pencils, to clean up after yourself and to raise your hand if you wish to speak.”

1. Understanding Repressive State Apparatus (RSA)
   A Repressive State Apparatus (RSA) refers to the institutions and structures within a state that
   enforce compliance through the use of force, coercion, or the threat of punishment. Althusser
   calls it “repressive” because these apparatuses maintain order and control by directly or
   indirectly applying physical force to ensure that individuals follow the rules and norms
   established by the ruling class. Examples of RSAs include the police, military, judicial system,
   and prisons. These institutions exert power through enforcement, ensuring that dissent is
   suppressed and laws are upheld.
   For instance, the police force is an RSA that maintains law and order by enforcing laws and
   arresting those who violate them. When protests arise, the use of police to disperse crowds or
   arrest participants exemplifies the repressive function of the state, as it directly controls behavior
   through the threat or application of force.
2. Ideological State Apparatuses (ISA)
   On the other hand, ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs) are institutions that exert control
   through ideology rather than physical force. They shape individuals’ beliefs, values,
   and perceptions, making them conform to the dominant ideology more subtly and often unconsciously. ISAs include institutions like schools, churches, media, and family structures.
   These entities propagate ideologies that align with the ruling class’s interests, ensuring that
   individuals internalize these beliefs and act accordingly.
   For example, the education system as an ISA instills in students the values of hard work,
   discipline, and obedience, which are aligned with the needs of the capitalist system. Students learn to accept the status quo and their place within it through curricula and the hidden curriculum, often without questioning the underlying power structures.
3. Differences Between RSAs and ISAs
   The key difference between Repressive State Apparatuses (RSAs) and Ideological State
   Apparatuses (ISAs) lies in the methods they use to maintain control. RSAs enforce conformity
   through direct coercion or the threat of force, making their actions visible and often immediate.
   ISAs, however, operate more subtly by influencing the way people think and behave through the
   dissemination of ideology. While RSAs use physical force to maintain order, ISAs rely on
   persuasion and the internalization of dominant ideologies to achieve the same goal.
   In essence, RSAs maintain control through fear and force, while ISAs do so through consent
   and belief. Both apparatuses are essential for the reproduction of the existing social order, but
   they operate in fundamentally different ways.
4. Example of Ideologyhttps://www.georgeeliotacademy.org.uk/news/?pid=21&nid=1&storyid=26 Feminism for all! This is an article written by George Eliot Media Club pupils.“Feminism, by definition, is the idea that all genders should be treated equally. For example, equal pay; equally priced access to hygiene products (such as razors, sanitary products, etc); freedom to be able to wear what we want, and freedom from harmful stereo types and the ability to feel safe in public areas. Unfortunately, some of these human rights have not been achieved across the globe we need feminism to change this.There are many misconceptions with feminism including the idea that feminism is actually a bad thing synonymous with hating men, and that to be a feminist, is to put women’s rights before men’s. Most people seem to think that feminism is something only needed in the past when there was a greater divide in gender roles. Now a days there is still a divide between all genders despite us coming a long way. Also, women’s rights in western societies have progressed further than women’s rights in some countries of the world. We need feminism until women’s rights are equal to men’s rights across the globe.

1. The Repressive state Apparatus are institutions put in place that acts in disciplinary ways to get people to act and believe in ways that they believe are in line where these actions are performed through forces or the threat of a force. Althusser calls it repressive because it forces upon someone and doesn’t give them the choice to go against the ideas being put against them. An example of this is the police and the law, where not following the status quo results in repression of freedom through jail time.
2. Ideological State Apparatus is similar to Repressive however it goes through maintain discipline in non forceful ways . An example of this is teachers in school that discipline students. Schools are one of the institutions responsible for controlling the behaviors and beliefs of a person at a young age when their most impressionable. Schools allow students to learn the status quo from their teachers and as a result, understand the world much easier under the supervision of a trusted official than if they were to just be let into the world unsupervised, with the chance of forming dangerous values.
3. The difference between Repressive and Ideological state apparatus is that that they are demonstrated. For instance, Repressive takes on a head on approach where people can visibly see the forces that regulate ideas. As mentioned earlier, policing and laws use their powers to force people into their values and punish them for deterring from them. Alternatively, Ideological isn’t as visible seen as is done in a sort of subconscious way. The example of teachers mentioned earlier helps prove this point. Teachers demonstrate to their students ways to act and to think. Although they don’t directly force them to, they influence their students to pick up on these values. The values are subconsciously put into the students brain and they become more in line with the status quo. This also happens in other institutions such as churches which speak on beliefs and pass them on to their followers without the our of force or conversive means.
4. https://youtu.be/VYOjWnS4cMY?si=jBgjiQ6BbS6JjDU- – This is America by Childish Gambino is a good example of ideology because of the idea that it presents through both its lyrics and music video. It demonstrates the division in America that causes turmoil within America where sides are fighting each other. It displays repressive apparatuses where people of different values use violence to get their way and demonstrates the errors of systems that use this violent forces. A heavy topic in the music is about the systematic racism that exist in America that is carried out by these repressive states of power. Although it is several years old, many of the issues in the music video still hold true and are deeply debated and challenged.

1. The Repressive State Apparatus includes institutions like the police, military, courts, and prisons that use force or authority to keep society organized and controlled. Althusser calls it “repressive” because these institutions enforce rules and norms through direct methods like punishment and physical force. The word “repressive” shows how these institutions help maintain control and prevent challenges to the current system. For example, during a protest, the police work to make sure things don’t get too chaotic. If necessary, they might use force to manage the crowd or arrest people breaking the law. This approach helps maintain social order by directly addressing any problems or disruptions

2. Ideological State Apparatuses are places like schools, media outlets, and religious institutions that help shape our beliefs and values without using force. They work by influencing how we think and feel about the world around us. Instead of using physical power, these institutions teach us what’s important and guide our understanding of society through things like education and media. For example, schools are a great example of this. They don’t just teach us subjects like math and science, they also help us learn about important social values. Schools often stress the importance of being punctual, working hard, and following rules, which are all values that fit into the larger framework of how society operates. So, these institutions play a key role in reinforcing the ideas and norms that support the way things are organized in our world.

3. The main difference between Repressive State Apparatuses and Ideological State Apparatuses is how they keep society under control. Repressive State Apparatuses use direct methods like force and authority to manage problems right away. For example, the police or military step in during a crisis and use their power to handle the situation. On the other hand, Ideological State Apparatuses work in a more subtle way. They influence how we think and feel about the world through things like schools, media, and religious organizations. Instead of using force, they shape our values and beliefs over time. For instance, schools not only teach subjects like math but also important social values such as working hard and following rules. So, while Repressive State Apparatuses deals with immediate problems and maintain order through direct actions, Ideological State Apparatuses focuses on shaping our long term beliefs and attitudes.

4. In many schools, there’s a strong emphasis on doing well on tests, earning good grades, and winning awards. Students are often told that their success is mainly about how hard they work and compete against others. The main idea is that personal effort and impressive achievements are the keys to succeeding in life. (Ideological State Apparatuses)

1. Repressive State Apparatus: The Repressive State apparatus, or RSA, is a concept developed by Louis Althusser that describes the mechanism by which the government exerts power and controls its citizens. The main source of the Repressive state apparatus is Fear. Examples of RSAs are Police, Courts, and Prisons. RSAs enforce obedience through direct repression, often through physical means. It is known as a Repressive State Apparatus (RSA) because its primary objective is to preserve social order and safeguard the ruling class’s interests through repression, which includes the use of force, coercion, and the threat of punishment.

2. Ideological State Apparatus: Ideological state apparatus (ISA) refers to institutions and systems in society that casually reinforce the dominant ideology and sustain the ruling class’s power by influence rather than direct force. The main source of ISA is ideologies raised in our society. Schools, media, church, and family are all examples of institutions that impart norms and beliefs that are consistent with the dominant ideology, causing people to accept their place in society. It is known as an Ideological State Apparatus (ISA) because its principal job is to operate via ideology—the set of ideas, values, beliefs, and conventions that determine how people perceive the world. Instead of using force or coercion, ISAs subtly influence people to accept and internalize the governing class’s dominant worldview.

3. The primary difference between the Repressive State Apparatus (RSA) and the Ideological State Apparatus (ISA) is how they maintain control and enforce the dominant class’s authority. RSAs, such as the police and courts, use coercion, force, and direct repression to maintain social control. Their power is manifested through legislation, punishment, and physical force, suppressing dissent and maintaining order by violently intervening when the status quo is challenged.

ISAs, like schools, churches, media, and cultural institutions, rely on ideology and subtle influence to function. They influence people’s beliefs, attitudes, and worldviews, causing them to internalize and adopt the dominant ideology without using physical force. ISAs work indirectly by instilling concepts that cause people to willingly comply with social standards, such as respect for authority or confidence in meritocracy. In essence, RSAs mandate compliance by direct control, but ISAs foster compliance through cultural and ideological conditioning.

4.

The image illustrates the Repressive State Apparatus (RSA) since it shows law enforcement agents exercising their authority to maintain control during a protest or demonstration. This is consistent with Louis Althusser’s concept of RSAs, which include institutions such as the police, military, and court system that uphold order through coercion, force, or the threat of punishment. RSAs interfere directly to repress challenges to the state’s authority or the ruling class, employing physical force as needed, as portrayed in the image. In short, RSAs rely on repression, which involves utilizing visible, coercive measures to retain societal control and secure legal conformity.