Althusser argues that ‘the reproduction of labour power requires not only a reproduction of its skills, but also, at the same times a reproduction of its submission to the ruling ideology.’ This submission is reproduced by a number of ‘Ideological State Apparatuses’ which include the mass media, the law, religion and education.
Ideological State Apparatuses transmit ruling class ideology thereby creating false class consciousness which largely maintains the subject class in its subordinate position. In pre-capitalist society. Althusser sees the church as the dominant Ideological State Apparatus. In capitalist society it has largely been replaced by the educational system.