Louis Althusser
November 10, 2009
Louis Alehouse’s, “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses“ was a difficult read for me. Two passages he writes about though contain great meaning in explaining the ideology behind the reproduction of labor for control and the function of the State Apparatus as a repressive force in society.
On page 132 Althusser writes, “To put this more scientifically, I shall say that the reproduction of labor power requires not only a reproduction of its skills, but also, at the same time, a reproduction of its submission to the rules of the established order, i.e. a reproduction of submission to the ruling ideology for workers, and a reproduction of the ability to manipulate the ruling ideology correctly for the agents of exploitation and repression, so that they, too, will provide for the domination of the ruling class ‘in words’.
To me this passage reflects on Althussers ability to recognize the fact that factory workers created labor power. The peasantry who were systematically exploited makes up the majority of these workers. Though a process was created to keep workers coming to provide their service through the process of “wages” the constant need to reproduce effective means of reproduction for the company owning hierarchy was what keep companies to continue their systems of creating better educated workers with a variety of skills so that they could be further utilized. Althusser points out here that even though workers were trained better and gained more skills, this academic approach was strictly done for the direct gain of the company so that their workers could function on a higher level to be further extorted for their economic benefit. This system of control was continuously manipulated to further aid in a company’s repression of its labor force.
There is another passage that Althussre writes about that interested me. On page 137 he writes, “Presented in this form, the Marxist-Leninist ‘theory’ of the State has its finger on the essential point, and not for one moment can there be any question of rejecting the fact that this really is the essential point. The State apparatus, which defines the State as a force of repressive execution and intervention ‘in the interest of the ruling class’ in the class struggle conducted by the bourgeoisie and its allies against the proletariat, is quite certainly the State, and quite certainly describes its function.
This passage by Althusser in my opinion discusses the fact that repression of the lower classes by the higher classes such as the bourgeoisie was not something that was indirect or unintentional. The act of repression was in fact intentional because this hierarchy of wealth creates a system of class structure and provided for the means, which allowed for the creation of new institutions and the ability for old structures to continue to exist. With the State controlling structures like the Church, the School and regulating Business within its means the State created an outlet for its hierarchy. The development of a high-class function was key for the State to create, control and operate. Though the State is a system of control it is manipulated by the bourgeoisie, who will intervene when ever they see fit for their private interests assuring that if their ends are not met because of effects causing the means to go south, quick action is taken. The ability for the higher class to change the State in order for it to operate and gain wealth effectively will continue to be a form of repression causing the lower class to subject itself to these effects how ever they may arise.
Journal Entry By Juan Martinez
