Jaydeen machado 

DB 3.2 

1. 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 Apparatus is a set of institutions through which the states maintain control primarily through force, coercion or the threat of force. The institution’s ensure to obey the existing social and economic order, especially capitalism. The states ability to enforce laws and maintain authority when people resist. Althusser uses the word repressive because the institutions do not rely on voluntary agreement they operate through physical power or legal authority. Relying on physical force or legal violence not belief or persuasion. Parenti emphasizes  that the democrats system claims to protect freedom, while the states still have powerful tools like the police, courts and prisons that may threaten the elites interest economically. People stepping outside acceptable behavior is defines by the system, repression becomes visible. An example would be the police. Police may use arrest force or intimidate to stop showing how repression maintain the existing system rather than the democratic way of participation. The states relying on repression to restore order protecting the capitalist. More are the military, courts, prisons and the legal system.  

2. Let’s do the same for the Ideological State Apparatuses. What are they, how do they seem to work? 

Ideology state apparatuses are institutions that maintain the existing system shaping beliefs, values and ideas rather than physical force. ISA works continuously, people don’t realize they are being influenced by schools, media, religion, family, culture, and political parties. By teaching people how to behave they are acting freely, even though though their choices align with the needs of the system. Ideology is most effective Althusser thinks because of the realization no one comes to think how they are influenced on day to day base. Consenting to the system voluntarily. School are teaching discipline, competition and respect for authority and the ideas that success is earned individually. This prepares people for capitalist workplaces, that have similar environments. Helping reduce capitalism by shaping peoples  beliefs and behaviors from an early age. Althusser argues this prepares students to become disciplined workers who accept capitalist labor relations as normal. 

3. How are the Repressive and Ideological State Apparatuses different from each other? What is the difference between the two?

The main difference is repressive state work primarily through force and ideological work primarily through consent. They both maintain social control. RSA are publicly visible and violently if necessary,the powers becomes obvious when people starts to resist the system more.  ISA operates privately, subtle and culturally. Parenti emphasizes the modern capitalist democracies rely more heavily on ideological control because it is more efficient. But repression will always be there when ideology fails. Ideology makes people accept the system and repression punishes those who refuse. 

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. 

30 December 2020 in Berlin, Participants of a demonstration under the motto “FCK 2020 – For a better tomorrow” hold up posters and banners”. Police officers accompany the demonstration. According to the organizers, the demonstration is against the repressive measures of the federal government, against conspiracy ideology and for dignified health, fair education, labor rights, occupational safety and culture. Photo: Christophe Gateau/dpa (Photo by Christophe Gateau/picture alliance via Getty Images)

This shows repressive apparatus because the people of Berlin, have formed together to as a group to publicly show demonstration about a topic they all consider Important. Things can get violent if it needed to, but as you can see there is no violence, the police officers are only there to give orders to make sure everything is in check and not violence.  

1. I understand a Repressive State Apparatus as the way the state controls people using force or punishment. Louis Althusser calls it “repressive” because it works through laws, violence or the threat of consequences if rules are broken. A clear example for me is the police, because they enforce laws and have the power to arrest or punish people who do not follow them.
2. Ideological State Apparatuses are institutions that influence peoples thinking rather than using force. They work by teaching values, beliefs and ideas that make society’s rules feel normal or natural. An example of this is schools, media, religion and even family shape how we behave and what we believe in is right or wrong without us always noticing.
3. The biggest difference, in my opinion us how control happens. Repressive State Apparatuses use force or punishment, while ideological State Apparatuses use ideas and beliefs. RSAs make people obey because they are afraid of consequences. While ISAs make people obey because they believe the system is normal or fair.
4. An example of ideology that i notice is the belief that if someone works hard, they will automatically succeed. I see this as an ideological state apparatus because it encourages people to accept inequality and blame themselves for failure instead of questioning larger social systems.

1. What is a Repressive State Apparatus? Why does Althusser call it “repressive”? Give an example.
A Repressive State Apparatus is basically the part of the state that controls people by using force or the threat of force. Althusser calls it “repressive” because that’s what it does — it shuts things down when people don’t follow the rules. Police, courts, prisons, the military, all of that is RSA. For example, when cops break up a protest or arrest people to “restore order,” that’s the RSA in action. It’s all about keeping control from the outside.

2. What are Ideological State Apparatuses? How do they seem to work?
Ideological State Apparatuses work different, they don’t use force, they use ideas. They get you to think, act, and believe a certain way without anybody threatening you. Schools, religion, media, and family all train you mentally to fit into society. Like in school, nobody is forcing you physically, but you still learn to follow rules, show up on time, and listen to teachers. That’s ideology working quietly.

3. How are the Repressive and Ideological State Apparatuses different? What’s the big difference between the two?
The difference is how they control people. RSA uses force like punishment, police, or jail. ISA uses beliefs and teaches you what “normal” is. RSA controls your body. ISA controls your mind. RSA makes you behave because you don’t want consequences. ISA makes you behave because you were trained to see the world that way.

4. Post an example of ideology and say whether it’s repressive or ideological.
An example of ideology is social media influence. People see perfect lifestyles online and start acting like that’s how they’re supposed to look or live. Nobody forces you to follow those standards, but it still shapes you. That’s an Ideological State Apparatus because it works through influence, not violence.

1. Repressive State Apparatus (RSA) is the idea that people are controlled by the government through violence. This prevents people from challenging the rules. Repressive in the sense that if there is nothing to fear then you will not obey and if you do disobey you will receive harm.
2. RSA’s it is how a ruler maintains control through the use of force. RSA’s consists of public institutions that function primarily thought the use of violence and coercion to ensure social order and protect the interests of the dominant class.
3. The difference between Repressive and RSA’s: Examples of Repressive are the police, courts, and prison system. RSA’s examples are educations systems, religious organizations, media and cultural organizations.

Marvin Trejos

POL 100 (0508)

         A repressive state apparatus according to Louis Althusser is way to control behavior through fear of courts, police and prisons, he explains that school is the most powerful tool to ideological state apparatus but this has a connection to a repressive state apparatus because in school if you don’t follow the rules or boundaries that they set that’s where the repressive state apparatus comes in through the fear of violence for example in school like detention or removed from class or have your parents called.  His choice of words is trying to explain that this is life and there needs to be obedience, this is natural and that authority is needed for the rest of your life if not there will be consequences through fear and a repressive state apparatus.

         Now for ideological state apparatus is where schools, politics and media can basically control on how a person actions and disciplined they are. As I explained before schools are the most powerful tool for ideological state apparatus because it is mandatory which gives the person no choice but to go to school, and as Althusser explains it is “obligatory as children grow in a capitalist social formation, eight hours a day for five or six days.”  The way it works is that its obligatory for the person to join school and be learned to be discipline.

         The repressive and ideological state apparatuses are very different from each other, the repressive state apparatuses is based on discipline and punishment, for example if you’re in school and you do not listen to your teacher you will discipline by giving you detention and that a form of repressive state of ideological state apparatuses, and now for ideological state apparatuses is the way that school is obligatory to children and is a discipline to be in school for almost 8 hours a day up to 10-12 hours with after school programs.

Here is an example of ideology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKPc0rmckkM

The reason I picked this is because the way it breaks down that there are multiple branches for a specifical ideology, this explains well that old liberalism and new modern liberals.

Stacie Otero

POL 100-508

Professor: Arto Artinian

1. Repressive State Apparatus (RSA)

A Repressive State Apparatus is when the system controls people through force or punishment. Althusser calls it “repressive” because it works through fear. An example is the police giving tickets or arresting someone. I notice this when I see police officers stopping people in my neighborhood.

2. Ideological State Apparatus (ISA)

An Ideological State Apparatus shapes people through ideas instead of force. It teaches what is “normal” and how to act in society. An example is school, where I learned not just subjects but also to follow rules and be on time. It prepares us to fit into society just as well as families eating together, manners are something at the table that has been going on since I was younger, passed on to me and now my children.

3. Difference Between RSA and ISA

RSAs use force, while ISAs use ideas. RSAs, like police or courts, punish people who break the rules. ISAs, like schools or media, guide people by teaching values that keep society going. I see the difference because school shaped my habits, while police use punishment to enforce laws.

4. Example of Ideology

An example of ideology is a commercial or cartoon of a perfect family eating dinner together. It shows everyone smiling, calm, and happy, which makes people think that’s how family life should be. In my own life, dinners are not always perfect—sometimes people are on their phones or in a rush or barely eating together as a whole. This shows how media spreads ideas of “normal” family life, even if it is not real and makes you believe society is supposed to be that way.

1.) A repressive state apparatus is the use of fear as a tool to inspire conformity within a society. For example, in America we use the threat of an armed police force and a grossly neglected and brutal prison system to inspire fear of what may happen to somebody if they don’t follow our laws. In many cases, an individual may not even need to break a law to be under the constant threat of incarceration, such as the current militarization of ICE to wreak havoc on our immigrant population. These repressive apparatuses breed apathy, which is one of the greatest tools the capitalist system has to deter revolution in American society (in my opinion).

2.) An ideological state apparatus is the use of education and elected government to reinforce capitalist ideals in a “non-violent” way, although still being incredibly predatory. For example, the layout of an American classroom. The classroom revolves around the authoritative figure (the teacher) and only allows you to contribute to discussion after being called upon, reinforcing the ideals of capitalism and authoritarianism. If the rules of the classroom are not followed, then the student faces detention, a call home to parents, or even suspension/expulsion.

3.) Although repressive and ideological apparatuses both try to achieve the same goal, their methods differ. Repressive apparatuses are intended to inspire fear using violence to get people to conform, while ideological apparatuses are intended to reinforce the ideals of the system using non-violent methods.

4.)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKdFeZTnAK0&list=RDwKdFeZTnAK0&start_radio=1&ab_channel=TomMacDonald

The song “The Devil is a Democrat” by Tom MacDonald pushes the conservative ideological sentiment that the left is ruining America. This acts an ideological apparatus because it reinforces the notion that the left is inconsolably wrong and promotes far-right ideals. Tom MacDonald is a popular rapper and is active in the far-right MAGA scene, classifying his music as an entertainment apparatus.

The concept of the repressive state apparatus comes from the Marxist theorist Louis Althusser. In simple terms, the repressive apparatus refers to the institutions and mechanisms that a state uses to maintain control and order, primarily through force or pressure. This includes the police, military, courts, and prisons, which can be used to suppress, dissent and enforce laws.
   Althusser calls it repressive because these institutions often rely on violence or the threat of violence to uphold the state’s authority. In lamest terms, the repressive apparatus is about maintaining control through enforcement rather than persuasion.
    The ideological state apparatus refers to the institutions that shape our beliefs and values without using force. Instead of enforcing rules through violence, ideological apparatus persuade people to accept certain ideas and norms. School, politics, mass media are included in ideological apparatus.
     Repressive apparatus and ideological apparatus are two separate ways that a government uses to maintain control over society. Repressive apparatus uses force like violence or the threat of violence. Force is enforced by the military, police, and prisons. Repressive apparatus also uses direct control which means it reinforces laws and order directly,punishing those who break them. On the other hand ideological apparatus uses persuasion instead of force. Persuasion is conveyed through schools, media, and religious institutions. Ideological apparatus also uses indirect control. That just means it shapes how people think and perceive the world, making them more likely to accept the status quo.

This image represents ideological apparatus. This image shows the division between two opposing political viewpoints. The bridge represents the potential for a dialogue or compromise. The characters being across the bridge indicates the challenge of compromise.

1. Repressive State Apparatus is a way to control behavior through violence and fear. Althusser uses the word ‘repressive’ because its supposed to suppress freedom through fear of punishment for breaking the rules. An example of this would be the police stopping you from stealing through force by chasing you down and arresting you.
2. Ideological State Apparatuses is a way to control behavior through social means like group acceptance and social efforts for conformity through ideas using institutions like schools. its meant to maintain the status quo.
3. Repressive and Ideological State Apparatuses differ by how they control behavior. Repressive State Apparatuses controls behavior through violence and threat from authority, while Ideological controls behavior through ideas and social efforts. The main difference in how both apparatuses do is that one does it through the police or justice system through violence and the other does it through other institutions like schools or churches. Usually when Ideological State Apparatuses fails to control behavior Repressive State Apparatuses is used afterwards as a backup option.
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggUt0gJh9U8 This is a video on protest during the civil rights movement in the 1960s. The police attacking and arresting protestors is an example of Repressive State Apparatuses because they are using violence from the police to correct the behavior of speaking out against the racist laws and system in place at the time.

1. The repressive state apparatus is the control the government has over society by instilling fear into society through threats of violence. People should not rebel because of the fear instilled into them. They should be too worried about going to jail or being arrested for acting out of the norm. In a sense, this teaches people to value their freedom because if you do something wrong, it can be taken away.
2. The Ideological state apparatus is the belief of accepting things for what they are and following the routine and structure without changing anything. Althusser believed schools are the most powerful ideological state apparatus because it is mandatory. Schools are the first form of structure in our lives that enforces the importance of obeying authority and discipline. This follows us into our adult lives and influences the roles we play in society.
3. The repressive state apparatus and ideological state apparatus are different only in the way society is kept in order. The repressive state apparatus suggests fear will keep people in line. It suggests prisons and police are needed to maintain order in society. However, the ideological state apparatus suggests through providing a structural foundation where following the rules is mandatory or consequences will come, it keeps people in their respected role in society.
4. This is an example of the ideological state apparatus. This shows how the government wants to keep society in check by obeying and following a structured routine. As long as every one follows authority and does not rebel, the order in society is maintained.