In this essay, I address how Karl Marx in The Critique of Capitalism and Louis Althusser in the Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses demonstrate that institutional forces within capitalist societies have upheld the power dynamics central to capitalism, and the main driving force that allows this upholding to persist is reproduction.
Marx explains that in order for capitalism to continue the reproduction of the character of the worker and reproduction of worker needs to exist. The feudal system, in Marx’ eyes, persisted only when feudalism was widely accepted and endorsed by society. For capitalism it is the same. Capitalism is in the very fabric of society which is why the reproduction of the character of the worker has persisted. In the Critique of Capitalism Marx states, “the relations of production in their totality constitute what are called the social relations, society, and, specifically, a society at a definite stage of historical development, a society with a peculiar, distinctive character (207). ” In layman's terms Marx is expressing that our economic system (production) shapes (constitute) the fabrics of our society. The “social relations” currently upheld were created by the “relations of production” devise the dynamics in which the capitalist exploits the worker and thus reproduces her. In market terms, there is always a greater supply for workers than there is the demand for workers. Because of this imbalance, capitalist are able to pay workers low wages, causing the worker to work more in order to produce the money she needs to live. Therefore, she keeps going to work because she has to work thus reproducing the character of the worker. In addition, Marx explains, “the very cost of [this] reproduction [is] whereby the race of workers is enabled to multiply and replace worn-out workers by new ones (206).” Since there are more workers than there are jobs there is an entire reserve army of labour that the capitalist can tap into once they exhaust their old exploited laborer. Thus the reproduction of the physical worker is also reproduced by the capitalist society. Capitalism relies on this reproduction, without which the economy and capitalist structures of society would collapse. By society indoctrinating the institutions of capitalism, the character of the worker is reproduced, and from this character, the turnover system continues and the worker herself is also reproduced. Althusser goes a step further than Marx by illustrating the fabrics of our society that specifically cause this reproduction. Althusser states, “not only does the State Apparatus contribute generously to its own reproduction…, but also and above all, the State apparatus secures by repression the political conditions for action of the Ideological State Apparatus. In fact, it is the latter which largely secure the reproduction specifically of relations of production...(24).” Althusser highlights two types of institutions that allow the reproduction of the character of the worker and the physical worker. These institutions are Ideological State Apparatus (IRA) and Repressive State Apparatus (RSA). ISAs are a function by ideology, they are things that the individual person recognizes, and subjects themselves to willingly. ISAs are things like schools, church, family, and media. For example, the family institutes reproduction of the worker with capitalism. The breadwinners of the family need to continue going to work to make money and thus have incentive to recreate the character of the worker. The children, at one time, will take over the job of the tired breadwinners and therefore