Foucault’s Disciplinary Theory in Modern Society Essay

The main point to note from Foucault’s theory is how it is related to sociology. Monitoring people daily is tedious; many people do not like to be monitored since it can interfere with someone’s privacy. Therefore, the adoption of a surveillance power system cannot be termed the last power system. He terms the system as a winning and losing method. Below is an explanation of how the theory is related to modern life.

Michel Foucault was a sociology theorist who coiled many theories, including the most famous, “Disciplinary power,” where he says that social punishment has been abandoned to closed-door punishment in modern society. Foucault says that the “sovereign power” which was being used by many leaders until the 1800s was abandoned to more punishment mode like home jail and being imprisoned (Segre, 2014). According to Foucault’s theory, many people, including criminals, are easily monitored through surveillance courtesy of technology. In relation to Foucault’s theory, the following are evident in modern society:

1. CCTV devices have been mounted in public areas to monitor people. Also, many managers have adopted it to check how work is being done by workers and therefore reduce manual supervision. According to Foucault, many people fear being seen doing something wrong.
2. Digitalized report books and registers, the surveillance power has adopted technology to monitor attendance; schools have adopted the technology system to check class attendance while managers have adopted it to check workers’ attendance. Reports can be accessed using the same technology, which has raised society’s discipline.

In understanding Foucault’s theory on discipline society, we can relate that with sovereign power, the disciplinary mechanism was not sufficient to control all of society. The hanging and social beating were specifically for criminals and those who could have committed state punishment. The sovereign power was scary to criminals and society, but this could not change other people’s behavior in society. But with the development of technology and the adoption of surveillance power, the whole society has been managed. The surveillance power includes the use of technology and closed or private punishment. With a lack of enough experience in punishment, many people have feared being subjected to private punishment.

Reference

Segre, S. (2014). Michel Foucault (1926–1984). In Contemporary Sociological Thinkers and Theories, (pp. 79-112). Taylor & Francis.