Comparative Inquiry Of Marx's And Althusser's Ideological Theories

Marx is the initiator of modern Ideology. His thesis that man's social existence determines their social consciousness laid the foundation of modern Ideology. He made a penetrating analysis of the nature of bourgeois ideology, which provided a classical example for his successors. As a very important researcher in the history of modern Ideology, Althusser, On the basis of Marx's theory Ideology, structuralism and psychoanalysis, made a fresh explanation of Ideology, hoping to elicit a series of supra—class—and—history theory:ideology in general. His description of"Ideological State Apparatus"revealed the deep secret of ruling in capitalistic society, therefore, it has exerted great influence on the academic circles of Ideology.Focusing on the analysis of Althusser's succession to and deviation from Marx's theories of ideology , the similarities and differences between the two theories are presented in the paper from five quarters: the origin and foundation of Ideology , Ideology and spurious consciousness, Ideology and automatism, Ideology and superstructure, Ideology and Science. Meanwhile, cause of the differences are made up of four parts : history, theory, stand point of values and approaches to research.This paper aims to probe the nature and the functions of Ideology through the comparative inquiry . To a certain extent ,Althusser's thesis of the relationship between Science and Ideology is of practical value in china. His theories can be employed to develop Marx's Ideological theory but should be examined by the basic principle of Marxism.