Neo-Marxism - Althusser

Question 1

Criticises base-superstructure by creating structural determinism - what are the three levels ?

Answer 1

• economic level - involves all activities that involve production to satisfy needs
• Political level - comprising all forms of organisation
• Ideological level - involving the ways that people see themselves in the world

Question 1

What type of marxist is Althusser?

Answer 1

A structuralist thinker

Question 2

How does structural determinism differ from the base-superstructure model

Answer 2

So is not one way like the base - superstructure model of economic level determines everything

• Political and ideological - have relative autonomy / independence from economic → as can even affect the economic → two way causality

Question 3

what are the two concepts he suggests helps bourgeoisie maintain control?

Answer 3

The state performs political and ideological functions to ensure reproduction of capitalism :

• Repressive state apparatus - ‘armed bodies of men’ - police,army, prisons that coerce WC into complying with the will of bourgeoisie
• Ideological state apparatus - institutions - family/media/education that ideologically manipulate the working class into accepting capitalism as legitimate (ideas)

Similarly, to the idea of coercion (RSA) and consent (ISA)

Question 4

How does Althusser criticise Humanism?

Answer 4

• We are not the free agents - the belief we possess free will is - ‘false class consciousness’ produced by ISA
• We are merely products of social structures that determine everything about us putting us into pre-existing positions (classes)

Question 5

What does Althusser argue about change?

Answer 5

Argues that change will only come about from ‘over determination’ → the contradictions in the three structures that occur independently of each other resulting a collapse of the system entirely

Question 6

Althusser evaluation

Answer 6

• He rejects economic determinism → simply replaces it with a three structures anf their interrelationships
• Critiques by humanists for - discourages political activism as it stresses the role of structural factors can do little to affect
• Thompson crticises - for ignoring th active struggles of the WC that can change society - accuses Althusser of elitism ( belief communist party knows whats best)
• His view has been used in theory of post modernism that reject the scientific knowledge can improve society though that is what Althusser believed - counter intuitive ?