Marxism by Louis Althusser (1918-1990)

Marxism by Louis Althusser (1918-1990)

Introduction of Louis Althusser

Marxism- as a Study

Theory of Ideology

Interpellation

Recognization

Misrecognition

Repressive State Apparatus (RSA)

Ideological State Apparatus (ISA)

Althusser's criticism of humanism

Introduction of Louis Althusser

His full name is Louis Pierre Althusser, and he was a 20th-century French Marxist philosopher. His theory of structuralist Marxism is best known. His theories had an impact on the generation of philosophers that included Derrida, Michel Foucault, and others. His best-known writings are "Marxism and Humanism," "For Marx," "Reading Capital," "Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses," and "An Essay" (1970).

LOUIS ALTHUSSER builds on the work of Jacques Lacan to understand the way ideology functions in society. He thus moves away from the earlier Marxist understanding of ideology. In the earlier model, ideology was believed to create what was termed "false consciousness," a false understanding of the way the world functioned (for example, the suppression of the fact that the products we purchase on the open market are, in fact, the result of the exploitation of laborers). Althusser explains that for Marx "Ideology is [...] thought as an imaginary construction whose status is exactly like the theoretical status of the dream among writers before Freud.

Marxism- as a Study

Marxism is a science that allows us to see how the ruling class continues to dominate society and how they impose their beliefs and ideologies on other classes to preserve this dominance.

People, therefore, live their lives in accordance with these beliefs since they consider them to be natural ones. This is known as the absolute truth as a result.

According to his thesis of interpellation, dominating classes repress subordinate classes because of their beliefs.

Theory of Ideology

Ideologies that are prevalent in society and are utilized to defend the privilege and power of the ruling class are referred to as ideologies in general by Marxists.Ideology, in the words of Althusser, is "the representation of images, ideas and concepts which assist us in understanding our environment." In addition, ideology, in his view, lacks history because it has not changed over time.

Althusser assumes the following two things about the Ideology:

1. Ideology is a representation of how people imagine themselves to relate to their actual conditions of life.

2. Ideology has a physical form.

Interpellation

Giving a person their own identity is known as interpellation. This process occurs when we encounter or challenge the ideology, democracy, and value system of a society. Althusser believes that ideology has a significant impact on interpellation. Interpellation serves two purposes, in his opinion.

1. Recognization

2. Misrecognition

His 1970 essay, "Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses," is a good example. wherein he discussed two points;

1. Repressive State Apparatus (RSA)

political society (by Gramsci)

It is a social group that uses strength and coercion to control other social groups. It includes the police, army, government, law, and legal systems, among other things.

2. Ideological State Apparatus (ISA)

hegemony, - (Civil society by Gramsci)

Additionally, it is a social group that, with or without their knowledge, governs over one or more other groups. like a family, a religion, an organization, a system of education, and the media. Furthermore, it is true that we are able to recognize one another because of this identification.

Structured Marxism is another name for Althusser's scientific Marxism. In addition, there are humanistic Marxists who believe that people are creative beings who can change the course of history via their deliberate actions.

Marxist structuralists disagree, arguing that it is societal structures rather than individual behaviour that determine how people behave. Therefore, Althusser disagrees with both humanism and economic determinism.

Althusser's criticism of humanism

Marxist structuralists believe that our perception of creativity and free will is a delusion. The fact is that underlying social systems have shaped everything around us. We are only puppets in society's puppet show. All of our thoughts and deeds are controlled by invisible social systems.

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