wrobert
Foucault is obviously in touch with this mode of thinking and is a historical materialist (although perhaps not a Marxist)
^^^ CB: Aren't "historical materialist "and "Marxist" the same ? What would such an "historical materialist" disagree with Marxism about ? ^^^^
There is an eloquent moment where Foucault comments on this vaguely thought out set of questions. He is being asked about the panopticon and resistance. I don't remember how they get to it, but the question of resistance and insurrection comes up. Foucault says that taking over the structure is a good thing, but if prisoners simply take the position of the guards, nothing has changed, the tower has to be destroyed, but this certainly can only occur through the takeover of the tower.
^^^^ CB: The important power involved in prisons is the state power. Prisons are part of the special repressive apparatus which _is_ the state.
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Foucault would never deny the possibility of transformation, but he would no doubt remind us that the modes of resistance are always intertwined with the modes of power that they are resisting.
No doubt we will return to this question again. :)
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