Karl Marx theorized how Western society functions according to class structures. He said that the structure involved all of society and was acted as a rule. It included forms of government rules and also ideological rules like religion and law. The structure benefits the people (bourgeoisie) in power of material-the ruling class has economic power and intellectual power over society. In American materialistic society, words like "fast, new, upward, many, and active" are positive because they are associated with the increase in capital.
Althusser expands on Marx's theory by determining how ideology functions in society. He writes that ideology is broken down into two parts. The first is the ideological state apparatus (ISA). ISA's include: religion, education, family, legal, political, union, media, and culture ideologies. ISA's are imaginary places of creating thought. For example, family, church, and school all are methods of control of behavior. Repercussions occur when an individual does not follow the systems of thought. ISA's prevalent in every aspect of society and it is impossible to separate oneself from their reach.
The second are called (Repressive) state apparatuses. RSA's are tangible areas of ideology. For example, government, police force, army, administration, court and prisons are agencies of the state apparatus. Althusser says that RSA's different from ISA'S because they use direct violence. The RSA can have direct access into the private lives of people. For example, the police can pull over cars and enter homes. Althusser believes that RSA's targets the working class over the ruling class because of the lack of power. He believes that the state apparatus targets the working class due to their vulnerabilities. RSA's use force and ISA's need the acceptance of the public.
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