•  In both readings, it is argued that the US Constitution was written primarily by and for the economic elite, excluding the working class, farmers and enslaved people from the process. Parenti suggests the constitution was created by wealthy property owners to protect their financial investments. He points out that many of them were creditors and land owners who designed a structure to limit popular influence through mechanisms such as the electoral college, and the appointment of senators rather than direct election. Parenti says “On these issues, there were no poor farmers, artisans, indentured servants or slaves, attending the convention to proffer an opposing viewpoint. Ordinary working people could not take off four months to go to Philadelphia and write a constitution.” Beard suggests how the constitution served the interests of the ruling class, reinforcing a system that maintained economic dominance over the wealthy elite. He discussed how the government suppressed Democratic uprising such as Shays rebellion, which was led by indebted farmers who demanded relief from economic oppression. He also emphasizes that enslaved people, women and indigenous groups were completely excluded from political participation. 
• I would agree that the structure of social class is similar today than it was back then back then wealthy land owners mergers, and anybody with influence controlled the government while laborers, enslaved people and women had little to no political power. Today, the rich being big corporations or billionaires still hold most of the influence shaping laws to protect their wealth while many people struggle.
• The people who wrote the constitution were afraid of democracy because they were the wealthy elites, the landowner‘s, merchants, and creditors who feared that too much power in the hands of the working class would threaten their wealth and control.

1. The statistic that shocked me the most was ‘The top 1 percent own between 40 and 50 percent of the nation’s total wealth (stocks, bonds, investment funds, land, natural resources, business assets, and so on), more than the combined wealth of the bottom 90 percent.’ The fact that the top 1% own more than the whole lower 90% combined suggests that economic power is held in the hands of few that were born into it. Wealth equals influence, and that is seen in modern society with people such as Elon Musk who grows closer to the President.
2. Living in a society with economic disparities can have an impact on both the individual, and society as a whole. A part of this could be the exploitation of workers. Companies keep wages low while keeping the workload tough, all the while shareholders are getting paid. Another reason could be the living conditions for the poor. High cases of inequality lead to underfunded housing, schools, and neighborhoods, and poor healthcare access. A key factor in this is the political influence of the wealthy. Oftentimes, rich people use their influence to build relationships with people in power in order to influence policies and laws in their favor (tax cuts for the rich, weaker labor laws.) We see all of these in modern day life, with an example being how Jeff Bezos treats his amazon employees. Employees are often talking about their low wage that doesn’t add up to the amount of work being done at warehouses, not to mention the mandatory overtime. Another example of this is the current housing crisis. In major cities, the price of rent and homes are rising while the wages are not, making it harder for the working-class to afford a decent place to live.

M-C-M’ is a concept used by capitalists to grow their wealth. The first M(Money) is what the capitalist starts with. The second letter C(Commodity) is what the capitalists invest their money in, and could range from things such as raw materials, machines, and labor power. Lastly, M’(More money) which is essentially the profits made after production with prices being drastically marked up and sold for more than what was initially invested. The difference between the first and second M is surplus value created by workers, which becomes profit for the capitalist. 

1. The means of production refers to the physical and non-physical resources put into goods and services. An example of this would be a car factory with machines and automatic systems as the means of production because it enables the manufacturing of cars. Labor refers to the physical and/or mental human effort put into the production process. An example of this would be people working on an assembly line in a factory.
2. Marx defines value as the amount of labour or labour power required to produce a commodity. 
3. Labor and value are deeply connected. The labor theory of value states that a product’s value is measured by how much labour it takes to produce under normal circumstances. Labour creates value. Without labour, raw materials would remain unchanged and would have no additional value.
4. The difference between labor and labor power is that labor is referring to the actual work performed, the action, while labor power is referring to the workers ability, skill, and what they offer to the employer. The distinction is that labor is what’s used to create value, and labor power is what is sold to the capitalist system.
5. Surplus value refers to the extra value produced by the worker beyond what they have received in wages, but is taken by the company. Understanding surplus value is important because it helps us recognize economic inequality, and explains how wealth is accumulated. An example of this could be a shoe store employee who gets paid $15/hr to sell more expensive, high-end shoes without commission. In an 8 hour shift they earn $120, but sell over $500 worth of product which goes to the capitalist as profit.

1. A Repressive State Apparatus (RSAs) describes institutions used by the government, often using direct physical force to maintain power. Althusser calls it repressive because of the use of coercion, force, and suppression. An example of this could be a protest and the state’s response. We see how in present day media whenever there is a protest whether it be peaceful or not, the response is usually police there to break it up, use tear gas, and even arrest participants.
2. Ideological State Apparatus (ISAs) are described as institutions that maintain dominance of the ruling class using ideology rather than force. An example of IISA would be the education system. Schools condition students from young to be punctual, obedient, and disciplined with punishments enforced such as detention, suspension, and expulsion.
3. The primary difference between the two is the use of force vs desire. Ideological State Apparatuses tend to subtly teach people to think of the dominant system as the ‘natural’ and normal way thus making people accept things the way they’ve been conditioned to do so. Repressive State Apparatuses use direct physical force to maintain control and ensure obedience when the ISA fails to do so.
4. An example of Ideology I chose was the recent push of ‘trad-wife’ content on social media. A tradwife is typically a woman who prefers the traditional division of labour within the marriage, usually consisting of the wife managing the food and housekeeping while the husband manages the family finances. This type of content operates as an Ideological State Apparatus by pandering to the patriarchy,subtly  pushing women to reject feminism and submit to their husbands. https://www.newsweek.com/meet-three-influencers-pushing-trad-wife-trend-1914213

1. I see ideology as a set of beliefs, values, and principles that shape how people interpret the world, and deem how society should work. They influence things such as government policies, social norms, and even personal choices. Ideologies provide a sense of direction and it helps shape opinions on injustices, rights, and authority. At its core, ideology is a way of organizing thoughts on how life should be lived, and the way power should be used.
2. I understand the difference between liberal and conservative ideology in it being rooted in how either side views the role of the government, individual freedoms, and social change. The dividing line mainly comes down to government Intervention, social values, and cultural identity. Conservatives generally lean toward a more limited government, relying on personal responsibility while liberals are in support of a more active government. When it comes to social issues, conservatives tend to prioritize traditional views (i.e; strict abortion and immigration laws) while liberals are in support of progressive views (reproductive rights, LGBTQIIA+ rights, and diversity.)
3. Althusser defines ideology as a system of beliefs, ideas, and representations that shape how people experience the world, often without knowing its impact. He argues that it isn’t just a stream of thoughts but a primary driving force embedded in social institutions like school, church, and the media. Althusser seems to look at ideology as an active force that creates individuals who see themselves as freely choosing their beliefs, even when those same beliefs are derived from social structures.