Ideology and social practice

Abstract

This is a critical paper on some aspects of the structuralist trend of Althusser and is applied to an historically delimited «result» of such trend. Its effects, although they still persist and continue to influence some investigations have however become sometimes independent of their authors - which is particularly the case of A. Badiou and E. Ipola, but also, at least parttiaJly, of Nicos Poulantzas. On the other hand, in what concerns Althusser, his support to the book of D. Lecourt Une Crise et son Enjeu, and mostly his Réponse à John Lewis (published after completion of the 1^st Part of this text) present, at least in some aspects, different positions from those assumed by the author, which cannot be integrated in his former theoretical patterns and demanding therefore
specific criticism. We notice particularly the loss of the concept of «instances», such as proposed in his book Pour Marx. A loss perhaps more than tactical. We refer to Réponse à John Lewis in the 2^nd part of this article.