Part 2: Michel Foucault - "Governmentality" (1991)

Introduction to the Art of Government

In this section, Mike introduces the concept of the art of government and its importance in formulating effective governance strategies.

The Importance of Knowledge in Governance

• The art of government requires knowledge about individuals, local offices, and various aspects that can be counted and categorized.

• This knowledge is obtained through tactics and strategies that produce statistics, which help create and modify the state.

• Statistics play a crucial role in producing knowledge on behalf of the state and contribute to the art of governing.

Challenges in Establishing the Art of Government

This section discusses why the art of government faced difficulties in taking off earlier and explores alternative models for governing.

Shift from Mercantilism to Population-based Economy

• Earlier attempts at governance, such as mercantilism, focused primarily on creating wealth for the sovereign rather than governing effectively.

• The sovereign model was too abstract to control an entire population, while the family model lacked guidance for governing a state.

• With statistics providing information about populations, there was a shift towards an economy based on population as a unit of analysis.

Family as an Instrument for Governing

This section highlights how statistics on families became instrumental in governmental surveillance and control over populations.

Role of Statistics on Families

• As statistics provided insights into populations, they also allowed for gathering information about families as units within those populations.

• Producing statistics on families became essential for developing tactics and strategies in governing.

• The family itself adapted these tactics to better govern themselves within the larger population.

Emergence of Governmentality

This section explores how the focus shifted towards governing populations and the emergence of governmentality.

Economy as a Focus on Population

• The art of governing shifted its focus from the family to the population, with the economy now centered around population-based analysis.

• Governmentality aimed to govern rationally and effectively by focusing on the health and well-being of individuals within a healthy population.

• Power and mechanisms of security and surveillance were dispersed throughout society, working both top-down and bottom-up.

Reconceptualizing Power in Governance

This section challenges traditional notions of power in governance and highlights alternative perspectives.

Multiple Ways of Governing

• Traditional views often emphasize top-down sovereign power as the primary form of governance.

• Foucault suggests that this may not be the most important aspect to focus on, as there are many complex ways to govern effectively.

• Governmentality emphasizes control and surveillance at all levels, from individual families to entire populations.

The transcript does not provide further timestamps or sections beyond this point.

New Section

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of reading and understanding the Foucault effect. They suggest reading it multiple times and provide two translations for reference. The lecture version is recommended as it is considered easier to comprehend. The speaker also mentions that the Foucault effect contains singular sentences that clarify the lecture.

Understanding the Foucault Effect

• It is recommended to read the Foucault effect multiple times for better comprehension.

• Two translations are provided for reference.

• Switching to the lecture version may make it easier to understand.

• The Foucault effect includes singular sentences that clarify the lecture.

New Section

In this section, the speaker emphasizes that both versions of the text (lecture and Foucault effect) complement each other. They suggest reading both versions side by side for a more comprehensive understanding.

Reading Both Versions

• Both versions of the text (lecture and Foucault effect) have valuable information.

• Each version complements and clarifies certain aspects missing in the other.

• Reading both versions side by side can enhance understanding.

• The speaker encourages readers to engage with both texts simultaneously.

Conclusion

The transcript highlights the importance of thoroughly studying and comprehending the Foucault effect. It suggests reading it multiple times, exploring different translations, and utilizing both lecture and written versions for a comprehensive understanding.