Week 3: Louis Althusser 1 by Kate McGowan

Question 1. What topographical metaphor does Althusser use to describe the relations between base and superstructure? Why might this be significant?

yasminboos — 2015-10-14 18:55:13 UTC

Topographical metaphor:

The relation between the base and the superstructure according to Marx is as follows: society is constituted by levels which he names the economical base and the superstructure. The economical base refers to the productive forces which are the police officers, military forces and capitialist etc.. Whereas the superstructure refers to everything outside of it. For example: media, healthcare and religion etc...

Significance:

Althusser uses the topoique (topographical metaphor) to explain the relation between the base and superstructure. Althusser compares society to an edifice; giving the example that the upper floors of the house can not stay up if the base is no longer there for support but, goes on to argue against it.

Question 2. How is this model of base-superstructure different from the version we studied in Marx?

yasminboos — 2015-10-14 18:57:02 UTC

Althusser believes that Marx makes his theory sound metaphorical thus making people take the theory literally. Althusser wants to remove this association from literal to visual so it's easier to see the connection and relations in the infustructure. This is the difference between Marx and Althusser. He considers Marx‘s poorly sketched version of the State as an incomplete idea that needs to be expanded and developed in order to gain a better understanding.

Question 3. How are we to understand the idea of what Althusser calls ‘relative autonomy’?

yasminboos — 2015-10-14 20:35:14 UTC

Relative Autonomy is the superstructure in respect of the base. It is not determined by the 'determination in the instance' by the base but by the effectivity of the base.

... the determination in the last instance of what happens in the upper ‘floors’ (of the superstructure) by what happens in the economic base ...

The edifice is the social structure mentioned in Q1. where the economical base is the deciding factor of everything above it. If the base was to be removed everything surronding it would ultimate fail also stated by Marx. Althusser does not believe this is possible as he states that to a degree, there is an independence of the superstructure and the base. There is a relation between the two but, the superstructure could stand for a while without the base in place; arguing that at the fall of the base does not have an immediate impact to the levels above.

Question 4. What, then, might ‘determination in the last instance’ by the economic base come to mean?

yasminboos — 2015-10-14 20:48:00 UTC

Question 5. As cultural critics, what role do you think this ascribes to literary and/or cultural texts such as film or music? Think of examples to support your argument.

yasminboos — 2015-10-14 20:48:43 UTC

Books uphold the ruling class ideology therefore reinforcing the production of reproduction. For example: take Clockwork Orange as an example of ruling ideology being reinforced when the lead protagonist is sent to a prison and later a rehabilitation centre when he is finally caught after committing several crimes. This is reflection of the state will triumphant over those that impose a kind of threat.

Elena Tetzlaff - What topographical metaphor does Althusser use to describe the relations between base and superstructure?

2015-10-15 10:10:38 UTC

Althusser uses a spatial metaphor of a house; the infrastructure as the base or foundation, with the floors of the superstructure above it.

Why might this be significant?

The visual aspect of the metaphor places the infrastructure as integral to the support of the superstructure. The idea being that the industry, agriculture, means of production and reproducing production (etc.) are keeping the floors of the superstructure (culture, media etc.) aloft. Without the base the floors would not hold isolated.

Elena Tetzlaff - How is this model different to Marx's version

2015-10-15 10:23:40 UTC

Althusser feels the need to detail the model in order to understand how this 'support' of base and superstructure works, because it is so far only a basic description of what constitutes a society. He sees not only the reproduction of the means of production as integral to the growth of the base and therefore 'house' as a whole, but more importantly the reproduction of the labour that enables production. This then ties the idea of base and superstructure as far more interwoven than the upper 'floors' being present simply through surplus of production. He goes on to expound further the multifaceted nature of 'the State' and how through different apparatus (ideological, repressive) the reproduction of labour is maintained, and the ruling ideology is either 'mastered' or 'submitted' to.

Elena Tetzlaff - How are we to understand 'relative autonomy?'

2015-10-15 10:54:20 UTC

The separate facets of State that Althusser presents; the Repressive State Apparatus (RSA) and the Ideological State Apparatus (ISA), are 'ruled' in different ways by the same State Power. The RSA 'constitutes an organised whole whose different parts are centralized beneath a commanding unity' for example the Army, the Police and the Legal system. Each example has a chain of command, it's own structure of power that then adheres ultimately to State Power (hence, the idea of a predominance of functioning through repression). To contrast this, the ISA is composed of apparatus that are 'multiple, distinct, 'relatively autonomous'' yet unified through the ideology of the ruling class. The relative autonomy does lead to contradictions but ultimately serves the ruling ideology which is observed by the State Power.