Michael Foucault View on Power Relations Essay

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The interview reflects Michael Foucault’s interpretation of truth and power. The French thinker is interested in explaining how power and truth interact with different leadership positions. Power affects truth because the things that people communicate while in power are either true or false. Michael Foucault is convinced that truth emanates from the power relations, including the systems under which it is applied (Balan 38).

He notes that transformation in the systems of power alters the truth. Collectively, a society constitutes a power group because of the many systems. Michael Foucault does not focus his arguments on personality power.

On the contrary, his argument is based on group power, which enables people to participate in discourse because of the knowledge they possess. He argues that as a society, people communicate their views through writings, and this facilitates discourse formation (Foucault 233).

The resulting discourse constitutes illustrations of power and truth. He also notes that representations occur in different forms, such as oral, written, and electronic media. Power is transmitted through these representation forms. Therefore, society members get the truth developed by their power.

Power establishes the truth that alters according to changes in systems in civilization (Balan 38). Michael is concerned with a discourse that facilitates the development of information. The created information carries knowledge that eventually generates truth. However, Foucault also worries whether the truth is true or false.

The construction of discourse and truth facilitates the emergence of power. There are glaring features of power as determined by Foucault. He argues that innovative power that emanates from a society applies to everyone and cuts across all social classes (Balan 40). This promotes an essential aspect of power. The power is equitably distributed within society. This kind of power also exhibits a relational relationship.

The way people use their power to participate in choosing their leaders and the way elected officials to use their power on the people through various laws signifies the relationship (Balan 40). The relational relationship aspect of power is only possible when those being ruled and the ruler are all present in society. This aspect of power is highly acceptable in society.

People accept the relational power because they participate in discourse that creates the truth (Balan 40). In a society, older members of households engage in discourse, which creates for the younger members. However, sometimes younger people can resist the power being exercised upon them by older members of the households. This can cause a change in power, and eventually, the truth also gets altered (Foucault 236).

Foucault’s perception of power facilitated the emergence of New Historicism. The author doubts the long-established history. He wonders how traditional historicists rely on facts created through history. He argues that traditional history is sequential. Foucault expresses criticism towards the way historicists understand facts in a dialectical manner (Foucault & Gordon 115). He suggests a genealogical approach to understanding facts through history.

His perception of a genealogical approach of history entails the ability of history to describe the foundation of knowledge and discourse without relating it to another subject.

He roots for a New Historicism that can contest materialism. He notes that cultural materialism that some societies have used is also a form of power that does not apply force (Foucault & Gordon 117). However, it also remains a hidden way leaders in society can use to control their subjects while taking away the rights of people to engage in discourse.

In summary, Foucault suggests that people should perceive truth as an organized system that encourages production, control, and distribution of information and knowledge. Truth has a relationship with power systems. The systems of power create truth and ensure its operation. The author encourages society to engage in producing truth through its power systems.

Works Cited

Balan, Sergiu. Michael Foucault View on Power Relations. 2013. Web. 4 Nov 2013.

Foucault, Michael. Disciplinary Power and Subjection. 2013. Web. 4 Nov 2013.

Foucault, Michel, & Gordon, Colin. Power/knowledge: selected interviews and other writings, 1972-1977 (1st American ed.). New York, NY: Pantheon Books, 1980. Print.

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