A Repressive State Apparatus is a set of institutions that the higher class use to keep their power and control the working class. They use the threat of force to maintain this social order. Examples of some of these institutions are courts, the government, the prison system and police. Althusser calls it repressive because of the use of force and violence to keep domination. Police for example are repressive. They may use excessive force, suppress peaceful protests just because, and sometimes even intimidate people into giving wrongful confessions. Police have the ability to abuse their power in order to keep their control.
Ideological State Apparatuses are institutions that shape others’ beliefs, behaviors and their values in order to uphold structures that already exist. Examples of these Ideological State Apparatuses would be churches/religion, schools/education, political parties, etc. This works by enforcing individuals to accept and go by the existing systems and social structures that already exist.
Both the Repressive and Ideological State Apparatuses work to maintain power of those in the higher class. The way they do this is different. Repressive use the threat of force and violence. Ideological use ideology and persuasion. They are also more diverse.
This is a Catholic church. One like I grew up going to as a child. This is an example of an ideological apparatus. This is because of the way the church does its teachings and influences individuals to behave a certain way and act morally correct.
