NAME CAVEN
SURNAME MASUKU
MASTERS OF SCIENCE IN MEDIA AND SOCIETY
PROGRAM
STUDIES MMSS 802
MODULE
LECTURER MR CHISANGO
TOPIC: Repressive State Apparatus and ideological State apparatus (Althusser)’s
contribution for critical political economy
In critical political economy the Neo-Marxist approach to ideology criticism, is the best
illustrated by the writings of Althusser and Gramsci, which developed from the research and
writing of the Frankfurt school (critical theory) This approach subjects the definition of ideology
"as false consciousness to considerable criticism and revision, and makes allowance for a more
complex understanding of the relationship between society, culture and ideology. The term
ideology is clearly defined by the classical/Orthodox Marxist negatively as;
“Ideological delusion or false consciousness and refers to those ideas, values and beliefs
produced within a given mode of production (such as media industry)” Geuss 1981:12).
In addition, Strinate (1995) defines the term “ideology” as a “representation of the imaginary
relationship of individuals to their real conditions of existence, that is a material force in societies
and that it interpellates individuals as subjects within particular ideologies”
However, the Marxist theory contends that the media function as agencies of social control and
legitimation, and play a strategic role in reinforcing dominant social norms and values which
legitimize the existing social system, thereby propagating false consciousness (Gurevitch et al
1982:2)
Furthermore, a central concept in Althusser’s theory is the ideological state apparatuses (ISA)
which refers to social institutions such as the family, language, the education system, trade
unions, church and mass media.(Althusser 1971:136-137). The ideological state apparatuses are
an important part of the social formation, and together with the Repressive state apparatuses
(RSA’s), which include institutions such as the army, the judiciary, and the police force, function to propagate social conformity, influencing people’s behavior and thought patterns (Gurevitch et al 1982:31). Althusser (1971) states that the media, and other ideological state apparatuses,propagate social control, while presenting themselves as socially neutral and objective. These social norms are in fact are in fact ideologically determined in the sense that they serve the interest of those who possess social power. For instance public media in Zimbabwe such as The Herald, Chronicle, Sunday mail, Sunday news, uMthunywa, Kwayedza and so forth often
produces stories that supports ruling regime. People are meant to believe in the ruling party
through the media.
On the other hand, repressive state apparatus is the use of coercion and power by the ruling class
to force the subordinate class to like their ideologies. Repressive state apparatuses includes the
police force, army, judiciary, courts and so forth. It is mainly used if the ideological state
apparatuses fail to wean the subordinate class to support the ideologies of their masters. For
instance, in Zimbabwe the beating of people after June 28 harmonized election. Here violence
was used as a force to make the masses to vote for the ZANU PF in the re-run which was later on
deemed a flaw. Law courts were used to jail MDC members who challenged ZANU PF party.
Journalist with contrary views about the use of coercion by ZANU PF were harassed, brutalized
and sometimes arrested. Privately owned newspapers were closed like Daily News and licenses
for operation for several NGO’s suspected to work in cahoots with members of the opposition
were withdrawn.
Althusser (1918-1990) was a French philosopher whose major work was published in the 1960
and 1970’s in the context of the then widespread intellectual interest in Marxism and
structuralist. Murdoch and Golding appropriate Marx’s view of ideology for a political economy
approach to the analysis of mass media. They argue that Marx’s thesis in the German ideology
entails three empirical propositions, which can be satisfactorily validated hence the following
claim supports;
“That the production and distribution of ideas is concentrated in the hands of the capitalist
owners of the means of production, that therefore their ideas receive much greater prominence
and hence dominate the thoughts of subordinate groups, and that therefore this ideological
domination serves to maintain the prevailing system of class inequalities which privileges the
ruling class and exploit the subordinate classes” (Strinati 1995:132)
Althusser (1918-1990) contribution to the critique of political economy is supported by the
following quotation;
“In the social production which men carry on when they enter into definite relation that are
indispensable and independent of their will, these relations of production correspond to a definite
stage of their material powers of production. The totality of these relations of production
constitute the economic structure of society-the real foundation, on which legal and political
structure arise and to which definite forms of social consciousness correspond. The mode of
production of material life determines the general character of the social, political and spiritual processes of life. Hence it is from this quotation that ideological state apparatus (ISA) is fostered by the capitalists who owns and distributes media production.
In addition, Althusser develops a structuralist interpretation of Marxism (1995:147). Althusser’s
objectives were to establish Marxism as a science and to rid it of economic determism. Althusser
accepts that Marxist theory can be interpreted as being economic determinists in character but
insist that economic determism works only in ‘the last instance’. His argument is that ideology is
a force within societies in its own right. Strinati (1995:149) contends that Althusser
understanding of the Marxist thesis is that;
“The economic base or mode of production, and the superstructure or politics and ideology, form
structures which are related to each other in definite ways. The political and ideological
superstructures are note mere expressions of the essence of the economic base... the economic
base will be determinist due to its effects upon other structures and the dynamics of the society
overall...”
It is from this argument that it can be argued that ideological state apparatus (ISA) and repressive state apparatus (RSA) contributes heavily to the critical political economy of communications. Althusser’s concept of Repressive state apparatus (RSA) functions massively and predominantly
by repression. Strinate contends that this conceptualization is comparable to Gramsci’s
distinction between coercion and hegemony. In critical political economy Althusser’s conception
of ideology is a representation of the imaginary relationship of individuals to their real conditions of existence that it is a material force in societies, and that it “interpellates” individuals as subjects within particular ideologies. Althusser notes that, what people represent themselves in ideology is not their real world as such but their relationship to the real world. This relationship is an imaginary distortion that we can observe in all ideology. (Brennen 2000:4)
Moreover, Althusser’s point of departure is that ideology has a material existence. He thus does
not see ideology as merely an illusory set of ideas in the minds of people and thus as less real
than the material base of society. “The imaginary relation Althusser refers to is a material
relation, ideology is not just that about ideas or a question of mental states or consciousness, but a material practice carried out by groups and institutions”. For example, ZBH cannot be
understood in ideological terms as a set of illusory ideas. It has to be conceived, conceptualized
and analyzed as a form of institutional practice.
Theses practices as stated by Althusser are:
“Governed by the rituals in which these practices are inscribed, within the material existence of
an ideological apparatus (1995:154). Judging from this assertion and observation from Althusser
it is clear that (ISA) and (RSA) analyses the holistic, historical, and current concern with the
balance between capitalist enterprise and public intervention. Such analysis amounts to critical
political economy and as such, this is one way Althusser contributes to critical political
economy.
Althusser however, argues that’ ideology interpellates individuals as subjects. Ideology ensures
that people live an imaginary reality precisely because it forms them as subjects similar
somewhat to the process of socialization. For Althusser, the subject is the defining feature of all ideology, and all ideology works or functions by taking individuals and placing them, as subjects within the framework of ideology. For instance, the global media such as France 24, News
Corporation, Viacom, Walt Disney and many others uses advertisement with interpellation to
cocoon the masses to accept the capitalist products. Big media regulating bodies such as the
FCC, ITU, INTELSAT and COMSAT are used by media conglomerate political to shun allocating African state satellite spectrum to safeguard their market interest, hence ideological state apparatus (ISA)and repressive state apparatus (RSA)
It is most important to note that Althusser’s development of the concept of ideology not onlyl
differs radically from the traditional Marxist definition of ideology as false consciousness, it also contrast with other more neutral understandings of the term, adding yet another dimension to this concept (Brennen 2000:5). However, for Althusser, “ideology” is a representation of the
imaginary relationship of individuals to their real conditions of existence (Althusser 1971:162)
Ideological state apparatus functions primarily through ideology rather than violence, but when
necessary these institutions may also use repression, although it is often concealed as
socialization, discipline and censorship (Althusser 1971).
These cultural institutions guide our thoughts, beliefs and interests and reinforce the status quo; discourage individuals from challenging their existing place in society. It is salient to observe that the ISA work with RSA which is also known as the machine of repression because it functions primarily through violence. The RSA exist in the public sphere and encompasses the police, courts, prisons, army government and administration. For example, in Zimbabwe repressive state apparatus was experienced in the March 2008 harmonized election. The soldiers, police and law courts were used by the ZANU PF party to force people to vote for them. People were brutalized, incarcerated and killed for voting out ZANU PF. Journalists from privately owned papers were jailed, or sometimes harasses for holding contrary views and condemning the infringements of human rights. Dubious judgments in favor of the ZANU PF party were passed and as a result members of the opposition party MDC were jailed or accused by law courts. Zimbabwe Papers
where the government has a large chunk in terms of ownership was and is still used to safeguard
the ZANU PF party.
Specifically, the RSA helps to maintain the powers and interest of the ruling class through
exploitation of the labor power of working class (Althusser 1971:142). As asserted by Althusser
1971, RSA is used mostly when individuals and groups poses a threat to the dominant order. As
threats to the dominant order mounts, the state turns to increasingly physical and severe
measures; incarceration, police force and ultimately military intervention are used in response.
(Hill 2009)
It can be concluded that although the concept of ideology was at one time central to an
understanding of social and cultural theories of media, in recent years it has for the most part
fallen out of favor. Cultural theorist have responded to and acted against Althusser’s structuralist Conceptualization of ideology since 1970’s. It should remain clear that ISA and RSA are a contested terrain that is broad in scope and can be interpreted in many ways. The social relation of the state with the citizens and the media operation is largely dominated by ideology. The way we arrived at meaning making process, the manner in which subjectivity is accumulated and
discourse that blinds the working class intellectuals is largely oriented by ideology in favor of the dominant class.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Althusser L (1971) Lenin and Philosophy. New York Monthly Review.
Brennen B: Communication and Freedom; Althusserian Reading of Media-Government Relation
Vol.7 (2000: 4,-16.
Downing J>D>H et al (2004) the Sage handbook of media studies . Sage. London
Hill.D; Class, the crisis of neo-liberal Global Capital, and the role of education and knowledge
Workers. Saturday 28 march 2009 PDF
Richard D. Wolff 91987) ideological state Apparatus, Consumerism and US Capitalism PDF
RDWolff@Worldnet.att.net
Strinati D (1995) An Introduction to theories of popular culture. Routledge. London
