ReImagining Liberty 083: Classical Liberalism and Michel Foucault (w/ Mark Pennington)
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Jun 30, 2025 Mark Pennington, a Professor of Political Economy at King's College London, challenges classical liberals' narrow understanding of power. He introduces Michel Foucault’s insights, explaining that power is not just repressive but productive, shaping identities and behaviors. Pennington argues for acknowledging our cultural embeddedness while maintaining liberal ideals. He highlights Foucault's legacy on the dangers of surveillance and the importance of humility in liberal thought, suggesting that open markets can foster social mobility and creative identities.
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Power Beyond State Coercion
- Power isn't only state violence; it's a web of influences that shape thought and behavior.
- Foucault provides a toolkit to see how discourses and routines exercise power over people.
Power As Conducting Conduct
- Foucault defines power as the complex strategic situation of attempts to conduct others' conduct.
- Routinized frames and practices become established and can freeze people into particular ways of being.
Power Is Productive And Dangerous
- Foucault sees power as productive, not only negative; it shapes identities and practices.
- Power can be beneficial in contexts but becomes dangerous when it totalizes across life.
