ALTHUSSER IDEA OF I.S.A AND R.S.A.

Idiological State Apparatuses function by ideology. Ideology is a set of cultural beliefs,values,and attitudes of social system that serves, explains and justify its own existence as a way of life,whether may be school,family,religion or caste ideology. It defines the nature, purpose and its method.Ideology is also a under lying movement for social mobility and change. Through ideology people can be united in a whole structure of social system.



Marxist theorist Louis Althusser has used this term to denote the network of institutions that monitor the values and rules of the state. In fact, it is regarded social function such as schools,religion,the mass-media ,trade union and sport. They contribute maintaining the social order. And it encourages loyalty to the state and obedience to its authority.


In school,one of the tasks of teacher is to impart an understanding of morality and lesson of goodness. Teachers want to teach good lesson and prepare pupils for adult life. They instill good behaviour and ideal in the children’s mind. Teachers indoctrinate students in terms of history that encourage positive attitude,beliefs,values towards the state and loyalty towards state.



Ideological state apparatus proves values and make staunch obedience through education. For example, children learn at school singing national anthem good morality,inorder to reinforce the ligitimacy of the state.In a church or Catholic school in which all the teachers are committed Catholics and where all the children come from Catholic homes. Parents want them to be brought up Catholics. We can see that teachers deliberately attempt to inculcate in their pupils an unsakable commitment. Those children are drilled by their teachers that they might not put objection .


In a realm of sport, people also sing national anthems and use it as a religious symbols in state ceremonies. In a families children are disciplined to pay respect towards elder, rules and norms,values and beliefs. A peon learns colloquial yes-man towards his boss or master.





On the contrary,when the ideological state Apparatus fails to prove to elicit obedience and also fails conforming the established practice, then Altthusser gives the alternative Repressive State Apparatus. It is consist of court, police,prison system,military are the agencies of the state(service that is controlled by a single organization).It functions legitimate use of force and violence. They also contribute the same outcome,as a agents of repression .Therefore,Althusser provides more emphasis upon ISA that through education play a vital role in maintaining social order and state’s monopoly.