From Ideology To Ideological State Machine

As one of the famous French philosophers,Louis Althusser(1918-1990)has attracted more and more people’s attention for his unique ideological theory.Althusser’s ideological theory is divided into two periods.In his early years,Althusser expounded the relationship between "science" and "ideology",and from the "general problem" of theory,he used symptomatology reading method to find the fracture of Marxist texts,and put forward the famous theory of "epistemological fracture" and "theoretical anti-humanism" in the book "Defending Marx".Under the influence of Freudian psychoanalysis and Lacan’s mirror theory,Althusser believed that ideology had no history and permanence,and was a kind of non-historical existence that constituted the illusion of reality,and was a material existence composed of discourse,images and ideas.In June 1970,after experiencing the storm of "Red May",Althusser,after reflection and self-criticism,turned his research perspective to the relationship between "ideology" and "politics".In the article Ideologie et Appareils Ideologiques ?Etat published in La Pensee,he put forward the original theory of "International Machine of Ideology".Althusser pointed out that the state machine should be divided into repressive state machine and ideological state machine.The ideological state machine is a means of maintaining class rule in the "private sphere" in an "ideological way" that spreads through places of practice such as the family and education.In1976,Althusser published Explanation on the Ideological State Machine(AIE),which centered on class struggle and further discussed the nature,tasks,objectives of political parties and the relationship between political parties and the state machine.Althusser’s ideological theory on the one hand is the development of Marx’s ideological theory and state theory,but also highlights the value of The Times and theoretical vitality of Marx’s ideological theory,opening up a new direction and a new chapter for the study of western ideological theory.On the other hand,to be familiar with the nature and function of the ideological state machine is helpful for us to better understand the dominant position of Marxist ideology in the construction of socialist ideology.