Repressive state apparatus is an established arrangement that favors and abides to the upper hand directly. It’s consisting of areas such as the police, the military, and any other structures related to governmental authority. People’s civil liberties are many times have been shown to be ignored and overlooked, and freedom is sometimes restricted and barred for the sake and purpose of maintaining control. It’s referred to as repressive because as mentioned, several measures are taken to ensure their net result they want and including violence, force and other brutal methods regardless of the consideration of an individual’s liberty. It is seen in many parts of the world with authoritarian regimes and a dictatorship government such as Russia, Egypt, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, etc.
Ideological State Apparatuses in sense has the same desired outcome as the former, except different measures of control are used and applied through different structures. For instance, School and educational institutions are frequently the most well though example to showcase ideological State Apparatus. It is applied through schools and education because that is where a large portion of the population gets their knowledge, news, and other important information. This will ensure they are to be easily indoctrinated and instilled with whatever knowledge, no matter the accuracy, or relevance.
Despite having similar motives and similar desired outcomes, the main difference is how both are applied and instilled upon the people. A repressive state apparatus is one that uses violence, force and extreme forms of control to achieve the desired outcome regardless any other factor. While Ideological State Apparatuses, uses a more lenient and uses the concept and form of indoctrination. It takes several other forms of persuasion rather than violence and force being the primary tool.
This is an example of an ideology with significant repressive emphasis, therefore a Repressive State apparatus. Some countries in the middle east have strict regimes and a authoritarian government. Civil liberties and freedom are regularly undermined and extreme measures and violence are used to achieve a desired outcome and maintain a desired tone to society.
1- A representative state apparatus is a system that controls and can be really violent at times it contains police , courts, prisons Althusser calls it repressive because the state has the power over you
2- A definition of an ideological state is used as a school church family they use their power to bring a message and the way to behave or act
3- Althusser says there is two thinks needed for making people do things , the first one is fear he says it’s being used to make sure people are acting and behaving right . The second way is the social conformity it makes people act in ways they have been made to Believe
What is a Repressive State Apparatus? Why does Althusser call it “repressive”? Can we explain his choice of words here. Give an example.
Repressive state apparatuses, that can enforce behavior directly, such as the police and the criminal justice system. A way of controlling violence with higher authorities. Althusser calls it repressive because it’s limiting freedom. It takes away the freedom of one by punishing them when they dont follow laws or rules from the authorities.
2. Let’s do the same for the Ideological State Apparatuses. What are they, how do they seem to work?
Ideological state apparatuses are methods other than physical violence to achieve the same objectives as Repressive state apparatuses. Both have the same purpose but there’s different techniques to reach their purpose. School , politics and media are the main stream that helps ideological state apparatuses are being applied.
3. Important: this question will appear on our exam: How are the Repressive and Ideological State Apparatuses different from each other? What is the difference between the two?
Both are different because repressive functions with violence while ideology tries to find other techniques to go about things. Ideological state apparatuses use manipulation as their direct force.
4. Post an example of ideology. This could be a piece of writing, an image, video, pdf document, visual art, or music, clip from a movie. Next to your example, specify if this is an example of repressive or ideological apparatuses at work. I’ll start us of off by giving an example.
An example of ideology is the group communist. This falls in the category of repressive.
1.) Repressive state apparatuses are institutions such as the police or army that force people into physical coercion. Althusser called it repressive becausethat can enforce behavior directly, such as the police and the criminal justice system. An example is through these ‘apparatuses’ the state has the power to force you physically to behave.
2.)Schools are ideological state apparatuses because they are mandatory, you are taught how to obey and when not to speak foul language and be respectful of everyone’s things and space, and if you refuse to obey you are removed from the class as a form of punishment. They work because students don’t want to get in trouble so they try to do their best to be on their best behavior.
3.)Repressive state apparatuses are based on securing by force (physical or otherwise) the political conditions of the reproduction of relations of production which are in the last resort relations of exploitation. Ideological State Apparatuses are secured, usually in contradictory forms, by the ruling ideology, the ideology of the ruling class. The difference between repressive and ideological state apparatuses is that ideological state apparatuses are based on reproduction, legitimation, and how to control people’s ideas, beliefs, and values. Reproduction is based on how it reproduces class inequality, failing each generation of working-class pupils in turn, and ensuring that they end up in the same kinds of jobs as their parents. the legitimation is based on legitimating class inequality, producing ideologies that disguise its true cause, trying to convince people that inequalities are inevitable, and how failure is the fault of the individual. The repressive state apparatuses difference is when necessary to protect the capitalist interest, the state uses force to repress the working class via the police, courts & army.
4.) This is a repressive state apparatus because the justice system keeps the poor on remand for unlimited time, and the rich buy themselves out with bail or bribes.
Repressive State Apparatus is a tool used to control one’s behavior through the threat of violence. An example of this is the jail system, army, police, and detention in schools. This apparatus is used to keep one in line and to follow rules in the society, and if one disobeys or rebels their corporeal freedom is restricted by force. The threat of violence is to prime someone to become submissive, obedient, and non-confrontational in the capitalist system. It instills in you never to disobey, or rebel against those in power or you could be put in jail or lose your job if in a workplace setting. And therefore, Althusser called it repressive, because using violence and coercive measures, it is used as a tool to control and oppress the working/lower class in the society.
Ideological state apparatus control one’s behavior using social institutions like schools, church, family, and using social media. The main point of this tool is to make sure one doesn’t do anything to change the status quo. Ideological state apparatus work by ideologies and use methods other than violence to achieve the same aim as the Repressive state apparatus. An example is the school, which is the most important ideological state apparatus because they are mandatory. In schools, one’s is thought to follow a specific schedule, to only do things if one’s permitted to by the authoritative figure(Teacher), always obey, follow, and submit to authority. And in the end, these things also achieve the same purpose as the Repressive State apparatus, which is to prime us to become submissive, obedient, and non-confrontational to the ruling class in society.
The main difference between the two is their methods of achieving their goals. Repressive State Apparatus uses violence, and coercive measures( police, prison) to maintain control, while Ideological State Apparatus uses ideology and discipline(school, social media) to maintain control. Another difference is that repressive state apparatus work mainly through repression and violence and optionally incorporate ideology, while ideological state apparatus work mainly through ideology and optionally incorporate violence.
https://youtu.be/XaNcxKOD2_o. This is Repressive State Apparatus because violence was used as a tool to try to control the black people in South Africa during the Apartheid period. This is an example of racist ideology where the white believed that whites should be separate from the blacks, that was the status quo, and any blacks who did not conform, obey or try to rebel against the whites were punished. The threat of violence (the use of police force and jail system), were employed in other to keep the black community in South Africa submissive and non- confrontational.
A repressive state apparatus is a system of government that works in 4 parts, the army, the police, the judiciary system, and the prison system, all in order to undermine the people’s individual liberties, and this is why its called repressive. Examples of this style of government can be seen in all totalitarian regimes, such as the Third Reich, the USSR, and North Korea.
Based on the essay of the same name written by Marxist philosopher Louis Althusser, “ideology and ideological state apparatus” is a social theory that describes a society led by the ideology of the bourgeoisie.
Whereas a repressive state apparatus functions first by repression, then by ideology, an ideological state apparatus functions first by ideology. While an ideological state apparatus is controlled by ideology (the ideology of the ruling class) the power of a repressive state apparatus comes from metric control, is quantifiably intimidating, and functions as a unified entity, unlike ideological state apparatuses.
An example of an ideology is “Deutsche Christen” the term used for the attempt to fuse Christianity with National Socialism in order to further control the german volks (peoples) ideological state and promote core messages of their regime such as anti-Semitism and nationalism. Functioning as a unified entity whose power metric control through violence, this was a repressive state apparatus.
1.Repressive state apparatus is when you are controlled through the thread of violence. I believe he calls it repressive because it means repressing the urge to act out on your ideology, making you fall in line with the expectations of those in power. 2.Ideological state apparatus is more of subconsciously believing something and then acting it out by acting or following the rules of that said belief. An example is believing that you should not miss work just because you have a cold, even though you might feel very sick, you still go to work instead of staying home and recuperating. 3. The difference between Repressive and Ideological state apparatus is that repressive wants to keep you in check through the fear of the law, like police, judges, jail. While Ideological state apparatus gives you an illusion of a choice via news and politics. 4. https://youtu.be/CkMWeV2maIM I believe this video is a good example of Ideological state apparatus by using mass media they are trying to keep status quote and produce fear in change. The most important parts of this video is 1:44-2:18 and then skip to 6:54-8:53. This videos tend to point out what most conservatives fear, and the same time maybe striking a nerve with people that secreatly believe in said ideology.
1. What is a Repressive State Apparatus? Why does Althusser call it “repressive”?
Repressive State Apparatus is controlling an individual through the threat of violence such as police, courts, and prisons. Althusser calls it “repressive” because the state has the power force you to physically behave. This also gives them power of control over the state.
2. Let’s do the same for the Ideological State Apparatuses. What are they, how do they seem to work?
Ideological State Apparatuses encourages individiuals how to behave by being influenced from the media, religious groups, family, and education. They chose not to follow through with violence unlike Repressive State Apparatus.
3. How are the Repressive and Ideological State Apparatuses different from each other? What is the difference between the two.
The difference between Repressive and Ideological State Apparatuses are one uses force as a primary choice versus one uses violence as a secondary choice. He questions upon why individuals continue to obey laws and not rebel against them.
4. This image is an example of Ideological State Apparatuses.
1. A repressive state is where a state governs its citizens under different social classes using the basic functions of the courts, the police and the government to make sure citizens abide by set rules placed. If not, they are subject to disciplinary measures.
2. The Ideology state apparatuses use the same ideology as the repressive state apparatuses but instead of using the courts and police to enforce citizens to obey and follow as told. They use methods to inform, educate and perhaps sway the citizens to believing this is how things should be so that the government still gets what they want out of the citizens without having to use force or disciplinary measures.
3. A repressive state uses force, if need be, to get what they want done. In other words, do as I say or you will be punished. The Ideology Apparatus does not work in this way. They will use other methods to get their point across so that citizens understand and also begin to think and agree with the rules set in place.
POL 100 (0504) – Intro. to American Govt. – Fall 2022
Discussion Board 3.2
Q1. A Repressive State Apparatus is defined as methods the government uses, such as police, courts and prisons, that are meant to keep society from not following the established rules and behaviors that can cause rebellion in such a way that can cause chaos and destabilize the government. Althusser calls this apparatus repressive because it is meant to do exactly just that, which is to repress (restrain or inhibit the freedoms) of individuals. A Repressive State Apparatus aims to go deeper than just to restrain or inhibit the physical actions of a person but also to restrain and inhibit the mere thought of rebelling so that the person doesn’t even dare think of going against the status quo or established rules and behaviors. Althusser presents as an example the different consequences when a child doesn’t follow rules in school. When a student misbehaves or does not follow the established rules of the school/classroom, depending on the severity of their misbehavior, they can be put in detention, their parents are called in to meet with the principle, they are not allowed to on a school field trip or are not allowed to participate in classroom activities. Imposing these sanctions on the student is a form of restricting their freedoms, in other words these sanctions can be seen as repressive in nature.
Q2. An Ideological State Apparatus is defined as methods the government uses such as schools, churches, peers and family to enforce the message that established rules and behaviors that exist need to be followed in order for society to function correctly and not fall apart.
Q3. The Repressive and Ideological State apparatus are different from each other in that each one uses different methods to enforce their main goal(s). In the RSA, the methods to enforce control can be seen as being more confrontational and even violent. Repressive State Apparatus use violence or the appearance of violence to keep members of society from breaking the rules. Police officers when confronted with an individual committing a crime will pursue and use methods of restraint in order to apprehend the individual. Courts will impose punishment for the crime that was committed while prisons (jails) will be the place where the punishment will be served. Prisons themselves have rules that each inmate has to follow and these restrict an individual’s freedoms severely. The Ideological State Apparatus uses methods that are less restrictive yet produce the same effect that RSA does. In the ISA it is more about using the school system, peers, family unit and media to inform and enforce those rules of society and behaviors that need to be followed. With ISA, there is a conforming of the person to the rules and behaviors because not doing so touches upon our fears of being judged by others, being excluded and shamed.
Q3a. The main difference between the Repressive State Apparatus and the Ideological State Apparatus is that the Repressive State Apparatus is more direct and confrontational in enforcing rules and behavior that should be followed whereas the Ideological State Apparatus uses a more indirect and not as or less confrontational method to enforce those same rules and behaviors. RSA will use police, courts, prisons to control and enforce whereas ISA will use schools, peers, media, sports clubs to enforce the same rules and behaviors as those of a RSA .
Q4. The following link is an example of Ideology in media ads.
In my opinion, this AD video is Ideological yet it has Repressive undertones.
