Labor is human effort both physical and mental. used to transform raw materials into products or provide services. The means of production are what you need to make the actual things, and labor is the work people do to make those things happen.

Value refers to the worth or importance of something. What contributes to value is its usefulness, desirability, and cultural significance. Something is considered valuable if people are willing to sacrifice something for it, such as money or time. The value of an item depends on how much it is wanted, its utility, and the meaning it holds for individuals or society.

Labor contributes to the creation of value by turning raw materials into useful products. The more effort or skill is required to create something, the more value it can have. Labor determines the value of products.

Labor is the effort and activity that someone puts into creating something. So if a person is assembling a product they are using their labor. Labor power is a person’s energy, skill, and time they can offer like how skilled they are at doing something and for how many hours they can do it for. Labor is the actual work and labor power is the way the work is getting done is how I understood it.

Surplus value can explain how wealth and power are distributed in capitalist societies. Workers produce more value than they are paid. That extra value is the surplus and it is kept by the capitalists thats what makes them richer off laborers. Surplus value helps explain the widening gap between the rich and the poor, as the wealthy continue to profit from the labor of others.

Edwin Castano

1. Keeping in mind the material covered in this lesson, describe how you understand ideology in your own words.

Hint: One way to approach this is as follows

a) Describe what ideology is in a brief paragraph (in your own words).

Ideologies are split into three groups right, center, and left. The right is made up of conservatives and corporate elites. They think people should be self reliant and that poverty is a result of personal choices. They want to protect businesses. The middle tends to accept capitalism but prefers reforms to focus on inequality and poverty. They support public services and regulations, but also back military spending and globalization. The left are progressives and socialists. They favor social democracy and public ownership. Fight for fair wages, healthcare, and education for all. Left typically does not believe in capitalism. They want the government involved to protect the public.

b) Give an example illustrating what you wrote in (a).

Progressive movements in 2025 continue advocating for social democracy and public ownership. Some US. States have a progressive tax system that provides relief for low-income families while increasing taxes on corporations, This shows a commitment to fairness and social services.

c) Write another paragraph (or two), explaining to your reader with additional details, how you understand ideology.

Progressives and socialists fight for the rights of workers, believing in the need for a society where public ownership and social democracy ensure equality. Similar to a union that supports fair wages, accessible healthcare and access to education for everyone. They don’t believe anyone should be left behind due to their socio-economic status.

2. How do you understand the difference between conservative and liberal ideology in US politics? What seem to be the big differences, the dividing line? Given an example to backup your arguments.

Hint: try to identify key words (concepts) that play a big role in making someone consider themselves to be liberal or conservative. Then, explain in your own words what those keywords (concepts) mean.

Liberals support a larger government role like social safety nets for individuals, progressive taxation, environmental protection, and public health. All to create a fair society.

Conservatives value limited government interference and traditional values, a free market economy, and lower taxes. They value individual responsibility and think poverty is a personal choice.

3. How do you understand Althusser’s definition of ideology? Paraphrase it in your own words. Given an example. Hint: you may have to watch the second video again, and find the few places where Althusser’s position is presented.

Althusser argued that ideology functions to maintain the power of the ruling class by reinforcing the social order. He believed individuals willingly accept the dominant ideologies of their society. He had the belief that schools, churches, media, and families all held their own values and beliefs that upheld the structure of society. He argued that ideology functions to maintain the power of the ruling class by reinforcing the social order.