1. A Repressive State Apparatus (RSA) refers to institutions like police, military, and judiciary that maintain social control through force or coercion. Althusser calls it “repressive” because it directly suppresses dissent or opposition to the ruling ideology through physical or legal means. For instance, a government using police to disperse protests violently exemplifies the repressive nature of RSAs. 

2. Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs) are institutions such as schools, media, religion, and family that disseminate dominant ideologies and values to the populace, shaping their beliefs and behaviors. ISAs function through persuasion, education, and socialization rather than direct force. 

3. The main difference between RSAs and ISAs lies in their methods of maintaining social control. RSAs rely on coercion and repression, while ISAs operate through persuasion and indoctrination. RSAs enforce obedience through punishment, while ISAs shape individuals’ beliefs and identities to align with the ruling ideology. 

4. Example: A political propaganda poster depicting a nation’s leader as a heroic figure, surrounded by symbols of strength and prosperity. This is an example of an ideological apparatus at work, as it aims to instill loyalty and support for the ruling regime by shaping public perceptions and values. 

A Repressive State Apparatus falls under the army, police, judiciary, and prison system. Althusser called it “repressive” because it represented to him the “control of violence”. It also meant “fear” to him because people would be afraid to break the law because they would get in trouble by police and go to jail.

Ideological State Apparatus is a civil society. That includes the media, schools, family, and friends. Schools are the mostly the source of this because it is mandatory for students, 8 hours for 5-6 days, strict schedule and rules, and if you break the rules you are punished with “violence” which is getting detention, getting in trouble by your parents etc.

The difference between the two is repressive state apparatus is more focused on the government fear and ideological state apparatus focuses more on listening to society, getting your information from a higher source like your parents or teachers

1. The Repressive State Apparatus according to Althusser, is one of the two primary ways that a state keeps social control. In order to protect the interests of the ruling class and preserve social order, the Repressive State Apparatus  which is made up of organizations like the police and court, uses overt coercion and punishment. The Repressive State Apparatus depends on physical force and legal compulsion, as opposed to the Ideological State Apparatus  which shapes beliefs and values. Together, these mechanisms uphold the current social order and guarantee adherence to the prevailing worldview.
2.  Althusser defined the Ideological State Apparatuses as establishments such as schools, the media, church, and the family that quietly shape people’s values and views according to the prevailing ideology.  The Ideological State Apparatuses function through persuasion, socialization, and the diffusion of society, compared to the Repressive State Apparatus, which depends on force. By fostering norms and values that uphold the interests of the ruling class and guarantee loyalty to the established social hierarchy, they serve a critical role in preserving social order.
3. There are two different systems of societal control, the Ideological State Apparatuses and the Repressive State Apparatuses . The Repressive State Apparatuses uses overt force and coercion, which is endorsed by governmental and military agencies. The Ideological State Apparatuses, on the other hand, operate through less obvious means including persuasion and cultural dissemination by organizations like families, the media, and schools. The Ideological State Apparatuses use socialization and cultural influence to reshape people’s views and values to conform to the prevailing ideology, whereas the Repressive State Apparatuses uses direct physical force and legal measures to force compliance.

1. Repressive state apparatus is basically government affiliated agencys like the police and the army and they control you with the threat of violence to get what they want. he calls it repressive because of the force they have such as control and power.
2. Ideological state apparatuses prevents the change that includes the news and school and it gives you the choice between the status quos but it doesn’t use violence to get what they want
3. the differences between the two are that repressive controls you with violence in terms of the politics and they use the violence against you while state apparatuses trys to get the same idea but uses other method to achieve this
4. a example of ideology is from the band Pink Floyd with their song “Another Brick In The Wall” https://youtu.be/5IpYOF4Hi6Q?si=M5aHd39QoRXSxg74 this is an example of repressive apparatuses because it talks about the violence and punishment in the school

Ideological State Apparatus (ISA) is a method used similar to Repressive state apparatus (RSA) but instead of using force and violence it is still able to get the majority of people to something they may not want to. This works because if you do not follow the Ideological states apparatus you will be punished sure as getting fined or incarcerated, so to prevent that you have to follow the apparatus.

The reason Althusser uses the word “repressive” for Repressive state apparatus because it prevents you from acting outside what higher powers want sure as police or even the president. It is used to make you obey and when you don’t you get punished.

The difference between ISA and RSA is RSA is about controlling the general mass to obey and if they don’t they are forced to by going to jail or paying a fine. An example who be police arresting someone or a judge determining whether someone is guilty or not. ISA is used in certain services like school or church to create somebody that obeys. Fore example a school teaching kids “proper” behavior.

This is an example of Ideological state apparatus. As you see here the man with the speech bubble is directly interacting with the other mans brain. It almost looks like he is being brainwashed.

1. Repressive state apparatus is fear, controlling an individual or group with the threat of violence, including police, courts, and prisons, if they choose to act on their beliefs rather than going with the choices given. Althusser calls this repressive because the government can take your freedom away. Only if and when the ideological apparatus fails.
2. Ideological state apparatus prevents change to the status quo, including schools, politics, and mass media. With consumer, Entertainment, & Democratic Apparatus, You are conditioned not to think about inequality or do anything to change it; you choose the choices available. According to Althusser, schools are the most potent form of Ideological State Apparatus because school is mandatory, and students must be there five days for 8 hours a day.
3. Repressive apparatus is fear, with the threat of violence from government officials such as police, judges, and prison. Ideology is simply discipline and beliefs. Schools are the primary example; they follow the medieval Catholic Church ideology as done in the feudal system. Students are taught to obey and submit to authority. If not followed, a repressive apparatus is the only option.
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCOURZ-yx4E  I chose “One Mic” by Nas. The words of this song and the visuals depict repressive and ideological apparatuses. 

Repressive state apparatus is the control thorough fear. Using fear such as the threat of violence through police, courts and prisons. For example through politics, people feel as if they have responsibilities in their society. Ideological state apparatuses includes schools, politics and the mass media. People are given choices that do not differentiate by much and therefore is an illusion of choice. Repressive and ideological state apparatuses are different from each other because ideological state does not make people think about their inequality and do not do anything to change. However schools are the most important ideological state apparatus because they have the obligatory totality of children. School teaches discipline and is basically a reflection of the capitalist system. Repressive apparatuses is the strong motivator of being “normal” and fitting in with the rest of society which basically leads to the need to follow along with whatever information is being presented. One example is, back in 2019 a beauty influencer by the name Olivia Jade and her mother Lori Loughlin were involved in a scandal regarding the pay of $500,000 to fraudulently have her and sister admitted to the university of USC. I believe this goes to further demonstrate that even though we are taught to work hard, those with the upper hand can always buy their way.

1. A repressive state apparatus is the government’s control over the population to maintain social order and uphold its power. Althusser calls it “repressive” because it involves the use of force or the threat of force to enforce obedience and discipline within society. His choice of the word repressive emphasizes the government’s practices in maintaining the status quo. Some examples are, the military, police and other law enforcement.
2. Ideological state apparatus plays a role in shaping people’s beliefs through things like education, religion, media and family within a society.
3. Ideological state apparatus differs from repressive state apparatus because unlike repressive state it is not forced, it is operated through persuasion in things people in a society consume everyday like media. It is also influenced by the beliefs around us like in our religions or in our family’s. 
4. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/farmers-grow-corn-field-that-becomes-613296635

1. According to Althusser, the Repressive State Apparatus is a way for the ruling class to keep control over the masses by using fear, that’s why the name “repressive”, using police, courts and jails to fight crime but to control rebellions. The ruling class controls this apparatus (or tool) because they control the power of the state (police, the power to pass laws, etc.).
   
2. Fear, however, is not the biggest state apparatus, but the Ideological State Apparatuses are. These apparatuses (or tools) seem to be more subtle, something that we learn and internalize at a very early stage, and they include schools, churches, mass media, etc. It’s basically the idea of being “normal”, being accepted as a functional part of a whole. In school, for example, we learn how to follow rules, submit to authority, share, respect, follow a strict routine, and if we don’t, we then suffer consequences (that are related to Repressive Status Apparatus, fear, etc.). In democracy, we are giving the sensation that we have the freedom to vote and change what we want to change, but most of time, the choices are not that different after all. In sum, the Ideological State Apparatus prevents/distracts people from thinking and fighting against inequality, and thus preventing change to the status quo.
   
3. The Repressive and Ideological State Apparatuses differ from each other because while the Repressive is more obvious and completely connected to the State (police, judges, etc.), the Ideological is more subjective, broader, and somehow even subtle. The Ideological Apparatuses control how people think and act while the Repressive is more of a consequence, a last resource to stop people from rebellion if the Ideological ones “don’t work”.
   
4. When thinking about examples of ideology, the “Politics of Bread and Circuses” came into my mind. In sum, this was a strategy in politics during the Roman Empire, between the years 284-476, when the governments would provide just enough food and plenty of entertainment so the people would be “distracted” from the many problems around them and, hopefully, would not rebel. As mentioned in the second video, this fits as an Ideological Apparatus, more specifically “Entertainment Apparatus”. It’s very interesting to think of how long these ideas have been around, even though they didn’t have a specific name back them, and how “little” things changed because to this day we keep getting entertained in order to be distracted from our modern problems (https://medium.com/liberation-day/americas-bread-and-circuses-52efa50261bc)