- What is the Repressive State Apparatus?
The repressive state apparatus is a part of the capitalist ideological system and plays a key role in keeping society from straying from or revolting against the capitalistic system. It is represented by the police force, the court system, and the prison system. If society were to revolt against the system and not give in to the illusion of choice we are given, the repressive state would put try and put us back in line by enforcing the police to intimidate or arrest the part of society revolting, and the courts could imprison them.
- What is the Ideological State Apparatus?
The ideological state apparatus is another part of the capitalist ideological system that does most of the heavy lifting in keeping the wheel turning in a capitalist society. It is the apparatus that structures our thoughts and makes us believe we are choosing how the system is working, while distracting us from wanting to change the system. This is represented by our schools, politics, and the media. Politics is what gives use the illusion of choice and basically force us to choose from two candidates who will, in turn, still support the capitalist structure of society. The media gives us other ideologies to identify with, like favorite sports teams, to keep us occupied while the system runs as its meant to. School is how discipline and respect towards authority is in instilled in our society before we even thought we had a choice in adhering to the general authority of our societal structure.
- How are the Repressive and Ideological State Apparatuses different from each other?
The repressive and ideological state apparatuses are mainly different from each other because of the function they serve. The repressive apparatus is meant to function as a correcting tool, to keep revolutions from forming. The ideological apparatus is meant to function is a guide to keep society turning the wheel that supports a capitalistic societal structure.
- Post an example of ideology.
An example of ideology that I find fascinating is this image of a Columbian protester, known online as Captain Columbia, who used a homemade shield to block a stream from a water cannon shooting at him from an armored police truck.
This is a great example of the repressive state apparatus at work. In 2021, Columbians took to the streets to protest a rise in corruption, higher taxes, and changes in health care made by their government. Captain Columbia was a citizen whose thoughts broke from how the Columbian government wanted to structure policies in their society. Instead of going along with it, he took to the streets with the protesters to revolt and is pictured here fighting back against a very violent form of the repressive state apparatus.
