Discipline & Punish

Buchzusammenfassung

Michel Foucault was one of the most prominent French thinkers of the twentieth century, and his work influenced fields ranging from history to literary criticism. His most notable books include Madness and Civilization and Discipline and Punish.

In the late seventeenth century, Europe was being devastated by the plague. Any town that suspected the presence of the disease went into lockdown, with discipline being crucial for safety. Initially, each family was ordered, under the threat of death, to remain within their homes. A syndic, known as an overseer, was appointed to patrol the streets and secure every door he encountered. It was the syndic's responsibility to visit his assigned street daily and call out to the residents of each house. If no one appeared at the window, it indicated a problem; most likely, they were either sick or deceased due to the plague. The syndic then reported his findings to intendants, who in turn informed the magistrates. This hierarchical structure represented the establishment of a sophisticated surveillance system, ironically resulting from the chaos of the epidemic. Additionally, it served as a model for some of the towns' inhabitants, who later became politicians themselves. They aspired to build a flawlessly governed and disciplined society. One common aspect found in such controlled societies is a constant sense of being monitored. This notion can be visualized in the architectural concept of the Panopticon, conceived by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham in 1787. The Panopticon is a circular building resembling a donut, with a central tower. Its windows face towards the inner surface of the donut, while the building is divided into individual cells, extending from the inner to the outer ring. Each cell has two windows, one facing the tower and the other facing outward. This arrangement fosters an atmosphere where the inmates, each confined to their own cell, constantly feel watched. As a result, they behave as if under constant surveillance, regardless of whether someone is actually observing them. It is evident that the Panopticon's design greatly differs from earlier dungeon structures.

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