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From Biopower to Thanopower: What are the revelations of the theoretical confrontation between Foucault and Mbembe?
In today's society, the line between biopower and deathpower is becoming increasingly blurred. This not only affects how governments use their power to manage individual lives, but also reflects our fundamental understanding of the value of life. This article explores the interconnections between Foucault's theory of biopower and Mbembe's theory of thanatopower, and deeply analyzes how the academic contributions of the two thinkers can enlighten us to understand many complex issues in today's society.
Biopower, a concept from Foucault, stems from the emphasis on "management of life" and emphasizes enhancing the survival of the country by controlling the living conditions of individuals. However, Mbembe's necropolitics in 2003 expanded this topic. He believed that under certain special social conditions, some groups were deprived of their right to survive, which led to them facing political and social pressure. die.
Mbembe points out that the modern state's power over death cannot completely overlap with the previous biopower, because under the power of death, the boundary between life and death becomes increasingly blurred.
Mbembe's theory holds that there is a type of society called "deathworlds" in which the value of life is systematically devalued and people become "living dead." In such situations, certain groups of people are forced into a state of suspension between life and death.
Mbembe described the living state of these people as "chronic death", that is, their way of existence is closely linked to death, but to some extent gives them the so-called "life".
In this framework, the biopower mentioned by Foucault can be seen as a way of managing life, and when this management ceases, death power takes its place. Mbembe stressed that this is not just about the right to kill, but about how to put specific groups of people at risk and thus push them to face death.
The theoretical clash between the two revealed the roots of inequality in social structures, especially in terms of race and class. Mbembe refutes Foucault's argument for "life" under biopower, pointing out that a new form of dehumanization lurks behind this management of life.
For example, in modern society, the living conditions of certain communities are directly affected by policies, with Muslims, refugees and other minorities being particular victims. In his 2019 book, Mbembe pointed out that the "social death" faced by these groups has reduced their living space and deprived them of autonomy and freedom.
He stressed that the root of this phenomenon lies in the intertwined context of capitalism and racism, in which the lives of certain groups of people are regarded as "cheap".
This situation makes the direct impact of biopower difficult to assess. Jasbir Puar further proposed "queer necropolitics", analyzing the situation of LGBTQ+ people in today's society and combining it with Mbembe's theory to question which lives are tragic and which are systematically ignored. .
Whether in traditional political structures or in the complex collectives of contemporary society, these theories provide us with new perspectives for analyzing dilemmas, allowing us to rethink the value of life and political power.
As globalization accelerates, the combination of violence and death power spreads everywhere. Mbembe's theory not only has narrative power, but also reveals the diversity and complexity of human life in today's world. Many scholars have begun to focus on how these theories can help us understand and solve the various injustices that exist in today's society.
Some scholars point out that for these communities facing life and death decisions, the simple biopower discourse is obviously not enough to explain their situation. Instead, the perspective of death power can better highlight their predicament.
By combining Foucault’s and Mbembe’s theories, we can gain a deeper understanding of the power structures in today’s society and reflect on how governments exercise control and restriction over life in various social contexts. This forces us to question, on what foundation should true freedom and happiness be built?
