The French philosopher Louis Althusser is most well known for his contributions to Marxist theory, particularly in regards to his concept of ideology and its role in the state. According to Althusser, ideological state apparatuses are organizations and institutions which exist within a society in order to maintain the ruling class’s power and control over that society. These organizations include churches, education systems, trade unions, families, legal systems, political parties, mass media outlets and more (Althusser & Balibar).