Repressive State Apparatus (RSA) The Repressive State Apparatus refers to those institutions in society that enforce social order and control via force or compulsion. These include the police, the military, prisons, and the judicial system. Althusser calls them “repressive” because these institutions primarily function through the use of physical force or violence in an effort to control society and compel obedience to the laws and norms laid down by the state. That is to say, they are the weapons of suppressing resistances and maintaining dominations. Example: A police force arresting a protestor who is seen as a threat to the state’s interests could be seen as the RSA in action. The police use force or the threat of force to maintain social order and discourage activities that challenge state authority.
Ideological State Apparatuses (ISA) Ideological State Apparatuses include those very institutions and practices whereby control through ideology is ensured-the shaping of beliefs, values, and norms. These are schools, churches, the media, and even family structures. They function through people’s consciousness, wherein dominant ideologies that support power relations in society are fostered. The ISAs do not use direct force but, instead, inculcate subtly ways of thinking and acting. Example: A school system that teaches students the values of hard work and discipline, without accounting for broader social inequalities that may make success impossible for some to attain, is an example of the ISA. It doesn’t use force, but it indoctrinates the students with the idea that anyone can succeed if he tries hard enough. Therefore, this is a promoter of the certain ideological perspective.
Difference Between RSA and ISA The most critical difference between the Repressive State Apparatus and the Ideological State Apparatus lies in how this latter one secures such control. While the RSA usually applies itself through direct physical force, police, military forces, and others, the ISA shapes the belief and perception of the people through schools and mass media. More simply put:
The RSA acts through coercion: using force to maintain control.
The ISA acts through ideology: changing beliefs and values to maintain control. 4. There is a scene in the movie The Pursuit of Happiness where the protagonist Chris Gardner, despite his struggles in life, gets through it with hard work and determination. The theme of this movie sends a message that anyone can “make it” in America if they try hard enough, even in the face of extreme adversity. This would be an example of an Ideological State Apparatus at work. The film reinforces the dominant ideology in capitalism-that success is determined by personal effort and never considers social structures, class, or systemic inequalities.
