The Concept of Ideology in Nicos Poulantzas

This essay examines the pivotal role assigned by Nicos Poulantzas to ideology within the dynamics of the capitalist state. Poulantzas interprets ideology as essential to the ideal unity of the state and its apparent autonomy from class struggle. By analyzing his theoretical works, Political Power an...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Alberto Destasio
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Bologna 2025-07-01
Series:Scienza & Politica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://scienzaepolitica.unibo.it/article/view/22244
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850113065489530880
author Alberto Destasio
author_facet Alberto Destasio
author_sort Alberto Destasio
collection DOAJ
description This essay examines the pivotal role assigned by Nicos Poulantzas to ideology within the dynamics of the capitalist state. Poulantzas interprets ideology as essential to the ideal unity of the state and its apparent autonomy from class struggle. By analyzing his theoretical works, Political Power and Social Classes (1968) and State, Power, Socialism (1978), alongside applications in historical-political contexts like Fascism and Dictatorship (1970), the study highlights the centrality of the ideological instance in the reproduction of capitalist social formations. It discusses Poulantzas’s critique of historicist perspectives, the interplay between ideology and class struggle, and his conceptual evolution towards ideology as a material practice embedded in the relations of production and class dynamics.
format Article
id doaj-art-fcc3cd01bbd6400ab23654c23e06cd13
institution OA Journals
issn 1590-4946
1825-9618
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher University of Bologna
record_format Article
series Scienza & Politica
spelling doaj-art-fcc3cd01bbd6400ab23654c23e06cd132025-08-20T02:37:14ZengUniversity of BolognaScienza & Politica1590-49461825-96182025-07-0137728310210.6092/issn.1825-9618/2224420629The Concept of Ideology in Nicos PoulantzasAlberto Destasio0Università di CataniaThis essay examines the pivotal role assigned by Nicos Poulantzas to ideology within the dynamics of the capitalist state. Poulantzas interprets ideology as essential to the ideal unity of the state and its apparent autonomy from class struggle. By analyzing his theoretical works, Political Power and Social Classes (1968) and State, Power, Socialism (1978), alongside applications in historical-political contexts like Fascism and Dictatorship (1970), the study highlights the centrality of the ideological instance in the reproduction of capitalist social formations. It discusses Poulantzas’s critique of historicist perspectives, the interplay between ideology and class struggle, and his conceptual evolution towards ideology as a material practice embedded in the relations of production and class dynamics.https://scienzaepolitica.unibo.it/article/view/22244poulantzasideologyclass struggleideological state apparatuseslaw
spellingShingle Alberto Destasio
The Concept of Ideology in Nicos Poulantzas
Scienza & Politica
poulantzas
ideology
class struggle
ideological state apparatuses
law
title The Concept of Ideology in Nicos Poulantzas
title_full The Concept of Ideology in Nicos Poulantzas
title_fullStr The Concept of Ideology in Nicos Poulantzas
title_full_unstemmed The Concept of Ideology in Nicos Poulantzas
title_short The Concept of Ideology in Nicos Poulantzas
title_sort concept of ideology in nicos poulantzas
topic poulantzas
ideology
class struggle
ideological state apparatuses
law
url https://scienzaepolitica.unibo.it/article/view/22244
work_keys_str_mv AT albertodestasio theconceptofideologyinnicospoulantzas
AT albertodestasio conceptofideologyinnicospoulantzas