In “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses”, Althusser begins by explaining that the ultimate condition of production is the reproduction of the conditions of production. This can happen in precisely two ways: the reproduction of the productive forces and the reproduction of the relations of production. What he means by the reproduction of productive forces is the reproduction of labor power. The reproduction of labor power requires not only a reproduction of skills but also a reproduction of submission to the rules of the established order. School serves to teach the “know-how” and guarantees the subjection to the ruling ideology. It is only under forms of ideological subjection that it can become possible for reproducing the skills of labor power. Although Marx represents a society using the metaphor of an edifice, Althusser argues that this is only descriptive and that it is only through the point of view of reproduction that we can begin to understand the meaning of society. Marx believed the state to be a machine of repression, a Repressive State Apparatus (RSA). The RSA enabled the ruling class to ensure domination of the working class via capitalist exploitation. The RSA consists of the government, the administration, the army, the police, the courts, etc. But for Althusser, the reproduction of the relations of production becomes possible through Ideological State Apparatuses (ISA), which corresponds to private institutions such as religion, education, family, media, etc.

There are some key differences worth pointing out between the RSA and ISA. First, there is only one RSA as opposed to a plurality of ISA’s. Second, the RSA belongs to the public sphere whereas the ISA is private. And finally, the RSA functions primarily by violence and secondarily by ideology whereas the ISA functions predominantly by ideology and secondarily by violence. Both apparatuses function side by side in order for the dominant class to maintain its power over the working class, but I am still unsure whether or not this inverse relationship is pertinent. Basically, ideology must be reproduced in every aspect of society in order for such a relationship of power to exist. Althusser explains that this reproduction of ideology works to produce an imaginary representation of the real conditions of their existence. In other words, the ruling ideology creates a false perception of the truth in order to maintain power and control over the people. Therefore, the ruling ideology can only survive if the people accept its conditions. It is precisely through the ISA’s that willing submission to a capitalist and exploitative system is achieved whereas in the RSA, compliance is forced. Althusser also mentions that the school has replaced the church as the dominant ISA and we often see many examples of this where values of the dominant class are preached as being the only existent values in society.

Althusser makes several theses regarding ideology, but I was particularly interested by his idea that ideology exists eternally, creating subjects out of individuals always. This is somewhat questionable to me since ISA’s are the sites of class struggle. Because these sites are so plural and diverse and full of contradictions, state power cannot be as easily asserted. There then seems to be a contradiction since if ideologies interpolate individuals into defined subject positions, what happens when an individual does not assume the imposed conditions of their identity? Isn’t this possible given that the ISA’s are sites of conflict? Because it is through language that interpolation of the subject occurs, what happens if the subject does not respond? Can the power of the ISA’s continue to influence identity formation? Is this power absolute? These all seem like very pertinent questions and are later taken up by theorists such as Foucault and Butler. Interesting read!