Foucault
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Question: What are the fundamental differences between sovereign power and disciplinary power according to Foucault? What are the major characteristics of disciplinary power? Why is it a more efficient form of power? Sovereign power is a type of power in which is traced back before the classical age, signifies the centrality of power. In this period, power was exercised through monarch it is the ruler who decided to the life and death of his populace. Thus any threat challenging the King’s authority was punished harshly from his jurisdiction. On the other hand, disciplinary power is different from sovereign power in many respects. With the introduction of enlightenment and modern institutions disciplinary power focuses its punishment to soul instead of human body itself. This paper explains the differences between sovereign power and disciplinary power according to Foucault thereafter clarify the characteristics of disciplinary power and finally investigates why is it more efficient form of power. Primary aim of sovereign power was creating a fear and discouragement among citizens. In sovereign power, punishment of body was utmost important. Violent punishments occurred in front of an audience to prevent individuals from challenging the king’s authority. As it seen sovereign power is public and concentrates on punishment of body instead of soul while disciplinary power is more private, passive, calculated explicitly individualistic form of power and focusing on punishment of soul. Therefore sovereign power was centralized and king hold the power to control of his masses and also there was no room for individualization. As time goes on power is decentralized into institutions where knowledge gains importance. Knowledge created through the human sciences can answer as a normative standard in which individuals observe their own behaviors and evaluate themselves
Question: What are the fundamental differences between sovereign power and disciplinary power according to Foucault? What are the major characteristics of disciplinary power? Why is it a more efficient form of power? Sovereign power is a type of power in which is traced back before the classical age, signifies the centrality of power. In this period, power was exercised through monarch it is the ruler who decided to the life and death of his populace. Thus any threat challenging the King’s authority was punished harshly from his jurisdiction. On the other hand, disciplinary power is different from sovereign power in many respects. With the introduction of enlightenment and modern institutions disciplinary power focuses its punishment to soul instead of human body itself. This paper explains the differences between sovereign power and disciplinary power according to Foucault thereafter clarify the characteristics of disciplinary power and finally investigates why is it more efficient form of power. Primary aim of sovereign power was creating a fear and discouragement among citizens. In sovereign power, punishment of body was utmost important. Violent punishments occurred in front of an audience to prevent individuals from challenging the king’s authority. As it seen sovereign power is public and concentrates on punishment of body instead of soul while disciplinary power is more private, passive, calculated explicitly individualistic form of power and focusing on punishment of soul. Therefore sovereign power was centralized and king hold the power to control of his masses and also there was no room for individualization. As time goes on power is decentralized into institutions where knowledge gains importance. Knowledge created through the human sciences can answer as a normative standard in which individuals observe their own behaviors and evaluate themselves
References: M, Foucault. The History of Sexuality M, Foucault. Truth and Power M, Foucault. Discipline and Punish