Chapter

Chapte r 9
9

The Concepts of life and the living

ControP
in the Societies of Contrail

Maurizia
M aurizia Lazzara/o
Lazzaralo

w.
We have t.ft I><hind the .poch
han left epoch of d iKipline
iscipl ino to .nterent<r tthat «"'tro!. Gilles
bat of control, Gilh
DoIeu," dd.,crii>«!
D<!euz< e!iCriOO:! In.in. conci.., bm bot oif"""ve
offective w.)' ,hi. tbi. p."age
p.soage from diKi- disci·
plinary "",ieti .. to the ,oci,,;". of control
plin>!}' rocieti« '0 'he . ocieti<. contro l IDeleu,"" 19901. (l)deuz.e 19 901. He provided
o. witb th
u. wi,h tbi.is hi"oric.1
b istoric.1 ""Oll"rucrion
recomtruction hy by .etting
..... ing our from the tb. dynamic>
dynam ic< of
d iffe""" ••
diife,",,,, • • nd repetition, 'hereby tbereby goneratlng
gm<rating now new in'erprrtalion.
int<rpr<tation. of tho the
birtb .a nd d"..,lopmen,
hirth de,..,lopnl<nt of capi capi,.li,m
.. li.m,, One of hi. b i. moot
most important
imrortant theo·tbro·
r<tical innovation. coocern. 'he
rrtlcal tbe qu.stion
question of nmltiplici')',
multiplicit)" individ ual ual,••and
n.:!
d",,,,, .r< IIOIhing
cia",,, >re nothing nu,
but lhe ('pm«, im'g"l inn . nd differ.millioll of
thr ('pmre, inlrgrotion .nd differrmillion
multip!.ci,)·,
multiplicit)"
l< is no'
It i. not only
onl)' the phenonl<nolngical
p henom<nological d.>c,iptiondescription of ,hi. this emlution
<\'Dlution which
interests m.
in«"". me herr,
here, hut
but the mcthod
ffiL'thod ememplo~'.d,
plo)'ed, fOf For o.lklooz<.
leuze, 'he the caru",u,"y,
com"'ot ive
pH""" of bOlh
proc." both c.pitali"
capiulist in<titution.
in" i,u"on. and mult multipl icity can
iplicity em I>< und.,,,ood
under<tood
only by callcalling
ing upon ,h. the con"pt
concept of the tbe virtlLll
virt OllI and it< its modalit;".
modaliti .. of actu_
actu ·
a li, .. ion ..nd
.Ii.ation effect""tion. n
od .ffrctwtion. Tn... p."'
p ....g' ge from discipl
disciplinary '0
"""i"i.. to the
i... ,)' .oci«i«
""'«ie.
"",iet;". of control c.ooOl he under"ood
c""trol c.nnOl under<tood hy by "arting ou'
,U rtjog out from the tb~ tran.-
tram·
forma t ion< of c.
form"ioru capi,.li.m
pi .. li,m.. We mu" mo" bej;m
begin in" io"e.d
.. d from ,he the power
rower of o f the
multiplicity.
multiplicIty.
"1>r~i'" gener
Jl.j,rxi,,, gen<r .l1l'
all)' a«epl
aceepl fouc.ul
Fouc.ult'. d.!.Cription
... Jo..,r disciplinary soci·
ipt ion of di><iplin.ry
<tieo,
eti provided ,h
.. , pfOyid.d th1t
.. it regarded
i, i. reg m<rely a,.
.. dro morely complement to 'he
a •• compiement the :\\arxian
Marxian
analy.i.
mall. i. of the capitalistcapiuli" mode of production. p roduction , lIu, lIut though Fouc.ult
Foucault
acknowledged
ocknowlroged hi. debt to Marx Ih Ihi.i. throry
tbeory of d i,,-;plino
iscipline wa. was doubtl .. ...,
impireJ by tthe
impired he :\Iarxian description of 'he
Marxian deKripliol1 the organi ... ... tion
ion of .pac<
'pa« and
time in tthe facto,y ], he und.,."ood
he factoryl, understood ,h. t be confinement of worh" workers accord·
ing to. Vet)'Ver)' diff,,,,"'
different logictogic.
~oucault 'he
For Fou.:,ul, the factory
hctoty i. but on. one of t he form. uhn tah" by ,he the .ctu,li-
a ctuali·
.. tion of ,h.
»tion tho par,
paradigm confinemont, Tho
digm of confinemen', The c'pitdl
c.pi.. 1 _ labour rolat;'>o i,
bl>our reb,;"n i.
not tthe
no' fundamenul soci,1
ho fund,menul social rel
r.l .. ion "" which the o,,><mblo
on to whIch en«m ble of other othor
.ocial
<<>ci.l relation. i•• Iign.d,Iigned , Th. I«hool.
« hool, 'he the prpri",,,
i..,n .nd
and 'ho the l>o'pi
bo.pi.. 1.
l, .Iong
.Ion~
with !.w, Kienco ..nd
lAw, ",,,,ncr knowledge _ in .hort.
nd knowledg. ev<r}~h i ng tthat
<hoft, <v",}~h hat Foucault
 lonoroto
172 Ma urizio lonorato

den n «~'
define> a. wh~, c,n can I>e .. ro lI r""o~.~bl~1
I>< ""atoJ r""o~."bI~1 mm' mu" I>e I>< unde",ood
unde"tood withou,
<nterUlning.
en«ru ining. "ructurestruct ure _ ,up<rstructure
, up<",ructure rel.tlon relAtion [0 '0 production.
;l,hr~ i " th<ory
;\brxi" theory cone,,",.[
co""entr a«. .. <xclu.
ex clu. ii,,..,
.. lyI ~' on e~ploit
e~ploi!3' ion. Other po",er
.tion. pow"
reb,ion. Imen/women,
rebtion. tmenl",omen, OOctoulp.'ion" OOctor<ipa'ion" , «.cher<ipupil.te."h<l"pup,l• •and nd.., .., on lt and
other mod.liti modalities .. of the exerC[i< exerci", of power (domin (domina' , uhordination ,
.. ion , .ubordin.'ion,
en.bI.,'emon'I."
en. ,'emon'l ar< nogioctro nogloctoJ for «,«m. re.",n. 'h>t ' h ' p< [u ruin'0
in '0 'he
the ,'cry on,oIogy
very ontology
of ,t l>eI>< c.tegory
c.«go,)' of work. Thi. (~tegory i. endowed with .a PO"""
Thi' catego,)' po".. r of dia dialec·lec·
't ic.1
ical ,ot.li"tion.
,ouli<ation, oot ,heo"'tical and polit ical. which may b.
ho,hh ,heoretiCOlI I>< ",itlci
critici«<l.. d
rffisely
p "" i.. ly along ,h ' he...,ame me hn'" hn~. that Tarde cri' cri~"i imed Hegel : it
.. d Hegel: ""c~"ary
i, ii..... <e.sary
'to0 ·depobri
·depo!.r i... · di.I",,;«dial"" i.. with the h<lp h~lp of o f 'he ' he no"on
notion of muiriplic;'y.
multiplici,y.
In cap iuli.m, iti, i,
c'pi!:lli,m, i. 11not,
0' , .' ingle dram. drama _ ,thhal Spiri,it {Hogell
... of Spir (Hegell or
Capital (;I,la
C.pltal (?l.brxl but a rxl _ hut . 'mult iplic i,y
iphc ity of ,oci . 1 dramas'
.o<ia l dram.,' which mmt wh ich mmr h< he
!:Iken i",o
tahn into acco unt. a .. oun!. To 5< i z~
>eire tho tl>e dynam ic. o f <:ap[uli,
ics of capitali. m, we ,hou
.hou ld not
",fer to tl>e the ·immo"
'immen "" ..-, ",,.,,,.1
.",ornal and .up<rior· .up<nor fore forc~, ,h.
.. of ' ho di. I""ic lcc,ic
(c ,pitallhhourl,
' pi!:lllhoour), bu, hut to 'he ' h e 'infinitdy
'infinitely mu ltopl ltipl i..!
ied ., infin ite
itesimal
.. mal aand inter·
nd Inter·
nal' forc forces .. {Tarde
(Tarde 1999, 1111, Ill l. Tho logic log ic ooff contradiction.
contr ,d iction. ,h. 'he motor of
tho ·.ingl<
tho ·.ingle dram drama", . .. i,i. far '00 ,, ~ , poor anda nd ,ealKti.e,
rrou<tive , Thi. a"e"ion, 3"""i,",. wh i"h ich
Foucault will w ill !:Ike
tah up again a fter T Ta.rde.
rde. ii.••aimed imed directly at t he Marxist Man i"
concop,ion
concept ion of power, in which power i. i, ,Iw,y.
a lw. y, deprnden'
dep<ndm' on. on a de<p<r
deep<r
econom ic ilroctnrr,
econom,c otructlJre,
microphy,"" of POW<I
Tho microphy.ja pow", reph replace.o.. tho t ho pyramid.1 a.p<ct a'p<ct of ,I>< ' he
;\larxi"
Marxi" concoptual mncoptu .liisation ... ion wit withh an imman<"".
immanence wheroin the v.riou.
,h. various
'oncloour",' If.ctory.
'endmur",' (f.ctory, school, hmpi .. 1. <tc.1 .nd disciplinaq'
ochool. hoopiul. diKiplin1rj" t«hniqu«
tochniquel
a"
are ."icula'..!
afticul.tro wit withh 0""' m",h<T. In rel.tlon
on< ano,her. relation to '0 thi'
thi.,, Delem.
Ddemo point< poin .. ou'
tthat
h>t i,,, ,h.
it i. 'he "",onomi(
economic "'uctUl< <trlJC'ure .nd and the factor)'hctor~' which wh ic h pr«uppo
pr«uppo>< ... d[«i·
disci·
mechanionl>••alrea
linary mech~ni,m
pplin.ry Ire.d)·d ~' acting
a<ting on ,oul, <"ul . ,nd md bodibodies. ,h.
not ' he other
... no' ot hor
wa~' round. O
way Other fo re ..• •and
ther forc< nd ototh~r dynamic< m.y
hor dyn,mK. ' hon be im'oked
may ,hen invoked to
explain 'he ' he exp.n.ion
expan.ion "f of capitali.m. Th«. T h... fore forc~ ..••a nd tl><",
t he .. dyn.mics
dyn.mic<
oh" iomly imply
oh"iomly implr a• relation.hip
relation,hip I>e,wffn I><t"'ffn upi up i.. 1l .nd and labour.
b boUf, bu, bu , 'hey
t hey
can not ""
c.nnot I>< redoced
redOKed 'to 0 it.i,.
T h i, i. not '0
Th" de]) ~' ,h.
'0 deny rd~,'a"ce "f
the ,d,,·.nce of ,h. ' he M Marxian
arxi.n an.lr.i.
.nal~· .i. "f o f ,the he
cap i t> l_laoom
c.piu l _l~hoUf " re I,"on,
lation , bu, ra,h", rather it< its c l,im
laim to redoc. red uce ""iety
<ociety and the t he
mu ltip llC[ty
mul'ip licity 01 o f power .. reb,ion>
b,iom ,l"t ,h .. co""itute
com"tu" it '0 'he ' he 'ingle ",l.tion
rela t ion of
comm and .nd
comm.nd and oW ie",e exerci",d
oh-ecl ien<:< <xerci«d in ,he I.ctoq· facto')' or Of in thet he .conom,c
<co nomlC
re I"
", lation.
ioll. 011 On t he contrary,
mntruy, it i, i. the l,,,er
I.nor whIChwhteh must "" he inte!7,«d
integrated withlllwithin
a brrulder
brooder ftamrwor framewor k, thaI that of 0/ !h. disciplin
Ihe di«ipl ary soci
in>r,. oocir!it.
.... , and the their ir
twofold
twofo techniques
ld techniqu .. of power, di<cipline diocipline and ,,,d bhiopowcr,
iopower.
Like",i.."
Likew i.., ttho imp",it ion of conduc"
ho impmition (ondue" ,nd and ''he biection of bodi
he .u bj«:rion bodies .. are
no' exp explicablica ble le by monet.ry
moncu,)' con",.in" con<trai n" and ,,",onomic <'<onomic imp<rat iv« iv"" ,lOll<.
,10,,",.
Regimes of ";gn
Regim". .ign•• machine.
mach,,,,,. of expre",,,nexp re"K>n a nd coll""t coll"", i.e
i.o ..
• • ",m],l.ge.
«mhl.g.. of
onu nciation {law.
enunciation knowledge<.
II.w. knowkdg la nguage>, public opinion, etc.
... ian!;Uag«, <tel1 octact like
 me Socielie,
life and the living in the Sacielie, of
af Canlfa
Can ffo l 173

the cog>
,h. cogs of ,the h. .. ""mbb s<>,
a,,,,mbh g"'. in ,h. t he "''''''
",me w.y way .. nuchinic
•• ol1ch inie .. ""mblag«
."""mhhSe<
Ibetori ... pri",""
11.e'ori pri",n., ",hool,l.
u:hool.l.
lIy cooc£O,u'iog
By concmtra.ing on ooe one dlO"",i",,
dim,",ion 01 of .he[M power
pow" .. h .t ion .10,," alone
luploit"ion I,l, .\b
l,xpl","'iOll .\ l1rx i.m i.
[x i,m i, in"'i"b
in<>'iubly lro to reduce
l}' l«i rrouee ,I.1>< mach ine 01
.. m.chin. of .xp
exp""res·
,ion
.ion '0t o ideo
ideolog}',
log}" One of .he objecti ...
,he obj<etiv .. ooff foucault', wri.ing. on d i«ip],·
Fouc.ult"< writoog. i>cipli-
nary soci<ti«
o.ry soci",i.. i. i,.o
to uk< take I...•• ,"".., from economi,m aod
Ir<>m «onomi,m an d .h. dialectical culture
tho di,lectoc.1 cul.ure
ooff d u.l
ual i.m.,
i,m,. 'o npo« .he
to expo'" po.erty of expbi
the pove.,y exp laining domination, io
n iog domio"iOll. in torm.
term, of
ideology,
The multiplicit},
Th. multipl ic i'}' of .ingulari.i.,.
' lngularitin, ,heir t hm pow power cr."ion and copro·
.. of cre.tion copr,,"
uc'ion ., and
dJ ucti"" a od 'he moda li, i.. of their
t he mod.lit tl><ir coming
com ing ,og«hertogether wero were 00' no' born with wi.h
post. Fordi,m ., hu,
po".Fordi.m bu, in".adinstead tr ...er
tr . ers<
.. the entire
entiff hi>tory
history o f modernity.
modernIty. The
POW<f
power of of.he i>ciplina ry ,oc.,.i
the d l<Clplio. <octeti.. Iwhether ".., or. ddealing
we are ealiog with wi.h •t.eh·
..,h-
niqu .. ooff conlioomeot
oique> confinement or ",·called ><>-called biopolit
biopoli' ic.1 ic. 1 .cehniqu
tKhnique» .. ) acts
acto., primar·
primar.
ill' .nd
ily alway •.
and .Iway •• 00.
o n. mu ltiplic l.iplic;.y. Accordingly. di.IKti
ity. Accordiogly, dialoe.ical ..1 dduali,m,
uali,m. mu"
i><
be 'hought
thought 01 as os ..
c.ptur (>lures.. 01of mul'iplicity.
multiplici.y. For Foucault. Fouc.u l•• disci di.ciplin«
1'1 in .. 'r.n,·
t"n,'
fo r m [M confm«i. u..h.
form tl>< confu«<l. u«1«, or d.nge",", mul'i",d~,
dangerous m"I'i",d~, Into o,dued cI ......
into ord"ed cI." ...
The techn iques iqu« 01 of oonlinemoot
confinemen' Idisciplin Idiscipline'l impo..,
.. ) impo nondescr;p'
.. a noodesc'ipt
Iqudconq"' 1I ",k
Iqudconql/. u . k or conduct
conJ uct for the t he •• .akeke of producing uu«/ul effects.
.. ful effK".
provi<k<! .hat
provided th" 'he multiplicit}, i,
tho multiplici,y i. not gr ••• in oumber
great nu mher and the 'p'ce 'p.ce well
J efillfd .nd
defi""d a nd limit
limited (ochool, facto,y,
ed (>ehool. ho.pita] etcl.
factory. ho.pital roc.l. n They ... y con,j" in di,· di,-
tribu' ing the
tribut t he multiplicity
mul'iplicit)· aero acro ..... ' paco
pace (by gridJing. confining.
Iby gridding. confining, ",ri.li,·",ri.li.-
ordering it io
ingl. orderiog in ,ime
t ime (h)' breaking up g«tur
Ih)" bre.king g... ur..... ., oubcii,idmg
oubd i,iding .ime. ,ime.
programming action.l.
progr>mming Action.], and compo,iog eompo,ing It it in 'p 'pace.'im<
..... i"", ><l 3< '0
>0 a. extract
to extr.ct
from i, it useful off effee"
....·<> bbyy .augm<n'ing
ugm<nting ,he the forc
force. .. w which con"i,ut< It.
hich con"i,ute it.
Th. biopoit.ic.1
The biopolitica l .""hniqo«t<'Chniqueo(pu blic hoa
(public health, politics 01
l' h. pohtic. of.1>< family and 1Q
the famIly so
00)
on) ... <>erci",d 1<
ore .xerci",d .. tn.,
the m.nag<m<n[
m.nago"",n. 01 <>f ,he
.1>< life
lif. of aoyany mu ltipl icity.
multipl ic i.y. no
ma.ter it.
mAtter i" p [m·ooa~.
rm·en.mee. H<re. Here, unlike in in diSLlp
dis<iplinary in stitution<.• •the
linaf)' ,""itution> ho multi ·
plic ity;.
pliciry n umerou. (.he
i. numerou< popula'ion ..
IIhe popubti<>n a. a wholel.nd
whole) and the ' pace i. of'<" (the
Of><" {,he
limits of of.1><
,he popu l><ion lation . ... Jcl1ned by
re delin.a b y ,he
the "",iool.
"".ion ).
Ddeuzi. n int
Th. Ddeu.zia interpr,,"'
erpretation ion 01 of Fouc.ul,
Fouc.u l. {In<kpen<kndy
(in<kp<nd<ntly of of.1><
'M i"ue of 01
it> faithfulo
It< faithfulne... ~· ouc. ult·,
...'0o Fouca u lt·, w<>rkl
work l WIllwill be ... .. ryy uu«ful
.. fuJ 1m for u, io in .0.1)"<ing
,n,ly,ing
dyn.m io
the dyo.m ic> of dlffereoce
difference and Aod .. "",i.;on IDeleuu
repe'i'ion (Deleuze 19S41.19S4). Deleuze
Dekuze distin·
gu;,he. be","",o
gui.he.. he.ween power rehtlon. relation. and imti. utio",. Pow",
md i",",utioo,. Power i, i • •a rebtrelat lOo
ion
betw«n lorce.,
bet",«n force<, wh ile institut mstitu tio ion,.re
o, are .age""g<n<> of tthe integr-a.ion .nd
he iotegra,ioo str.. i·
and "'atl·
fic•• ion of forr
Ii".,ion forc...
.... Institution,
In stituti on, h fix foren
fore... .nd . nd th.i,
thei, .. latinns in.o
rebrilln, in'o p"" pr«;« i",
form. by bj' .ccording
according {h themem .a r"Productive
reprodllC.jvr function.function _ The .we. (apita] iand
<131<. (apitol nd
the .ar;',", io"it
' he ".,iou, institutions
ub o", .a .. no' ,be
re 00' , he ,ource
source of power rebtinn., reb' i"",. they thoy <kri,"
deri,-e
lrom ,h,m.
from 'h<m, Thu, roucauit. Foucault, a. as interp
interpreted Deleu«. aanalf''''
reted b)' Deleme, dispo,j,j(,
lul}">", dispo",,(,
power which deplo"!"
of pow<r deploy tthem«h-e<
hemsek ...accrnding ccordiog '0 .he modali.i«
,he modaliti .. of intogint"!;'"
...
t ion . nd diff dlfferentia.ion,
... o'ia,i"", .and nd 00[not a"ording
accOfding ." modali.i.. th.t
'0 modali,i., th .. could be he
tr.ced
'"eed '0 to t he , ubi""t/work
ubject/work I"r. digm.
p.:"adigm.
174 Ma u, izio lonoroto

Power rel.tlon, >re virt ual, un'table, non.loca li.. ble, non·'tratified
po«nt i.lit i«. They only define po",ibi);ti., Of prolub iliti« o f inter·
action; [hey .re differential " btion, th., d<tmnine ,,"~ul.,,tles. Th.
actu.li,.,i"" of the.. differ<ntiai robtiom ,nd ',"gul."'i.. by in"itu-
t ion, {,tate, capital, etc.) th., ,ub iii", them, ",atifr them, .nd m,h
t hem non' rne"ib l<, i. "muhm<ou,ly .n integr"ion (ca pture l and a d if·
bentiation.
To int<j; .. « me.m to wnn«t ''''gubri t;'., to hom,,!;eni« thorn
.nd m.ke them conYerge qUA .",gubritie. toward •• common g011.
Int<j;ration i•• n operation that con,i,,, in ,,"cing a general line of iorce
which pas"" through forc .. . nd fix« them into form" The in«grat;on
00., nOl function br ab<tl.ctlon . general ,,"[on. fu, ion.. 1 unitication, O[
,u h,umptlon (to 'peak t il< H<j;<Ii.n-,\1arxist language). lbe act ua li"'ti""
of power rebtion, tak., pbce gradUAl ly, '''one hy """e' • • • G.b"el Ta[de
thought. It i, an <n",m hle of in"gr.non" filSt local. then glolul. l>eleuz<
de>eribe, in«gration .... procedure .im«! at m.king the en",mble of net·
worh and p1tchworh, flow, and .ggr<j;.te" hold together.
Tafde too u,"' the term 'int<j;' . t i",,· to .mid unde"unding the con"; ·
tution of roci.1 qLUntit;« and .... Iue. {whether «onom", or o therwi .. 1
eith er a,. totali",ion or . . . .imple generali,.t iOfl or ' Mtraction, Soci.1
type or ><>ei.1 quant ity . re undef"ood .. in«g .. tio", of .mall d,fferenc""
, mall ,'.riation" in 1CcordInce with the mooei of integ[al c.lmlm.
But the . ctu, h,.tion of pow", rebtion. "not only int <j; .. tion , " i,
.],0 d ifferenti3. t ion [di((bmc;",ion l:' power rel.,;om .re exercised t o
the extont th a t there i. a diiference be""«n forc« , In capir.], .m, t his d if·
fCfentiat ion, instead of being. d ifferent i.,ion of diffe",nce. t he unfold·
ing of mu ltiplicity, i. a creHion and reprooOKtion of d ua li,m" of which
t he mmt ,mpon. nt . re the du.li.n" of c ia.. Iproiot>ri.nslc ap iu li.t<).nd
sex Imen/won",n \.
Binar)" groupi ng<, like >en' and cia,=. must capture, coo,f)" and
,""."0Il'
connol vi [tu .litie., the ro .. ih le of molecubr ....,m hl.g<'l , the
prohabiliti'" of inter>ction "f n<".mon adol"!;",. 1 cooper. """. Cia"".
c.rr)" out th. . .docti"" of multiplicity to du.li"", .nd to • coi l""",""
whole which tou li"" and unifies irrrouc,bl e "ngubr; ti« . The concep[ of
working da .. de.ign" .... coll<cti,'e wh,,1e md nO!. d im ibutive whole,
Du.li.m, oi.n .i iO fUfI( t iOll .. . di,pruJlj( of carture . nd cooing of
t l>< multipie combination, that hri ng Int o pl.y nOl jmt the masculine and
t i>< feminine, but also a t hous.nd t iny >exes. t he thou .... nd tiny po«ibl<
becom ing> of ,""uality. These thom:md ..,xc> mu<t I>< discipline<! and coo·
i ~od In order to be rebted Nck to t he men/women du.li.m . Social d • •", •
• re liter.lly ca IV"" out from tho mu ltiphcot)" of . ct[vi" ... cfy"all"ing
 life and the living in the Sacielie, af Conrro l 175

p",.ibl. in""crioru in ,he form 01 a duali.m. In [he "'''''' waj; ,be oppo_
.i"on men/women i< carved ou' from ,be heeoming. po .. ib l< of ,b. ,bou ,
.and ...,xes, cryu.lli,ing ,bern in ,be dua]"m of , he bel<ro<exuai norm.
The com... Slon of mul'ipliClty in'o clas"" ~nd of the ,homand .<xes
in'o het<ro«xU1lity func,ion. bo,h a. t ho ",,,,,,,,u,ion of type •• nd t he
"pre"ion of multiplicity, ,. t he con,,",",ion .nd cooing of t he norm and
., tho ""utrali.... "on of the vlltu.li,i<> of o,h" I:>ecoming', Tho 'wo
moo.li,i .. of ,he enrci« of power {rep.... ion . nd comt[[u, ion l a ..
obviou,ly f.r from being contr.dICtory.'
To tr>ce. po" ibk way ou' from 'he <conomi,m .nd 'he du.li,m, of
'he labou, mo"men', Fouuult aifirm, tlu , • «>eiety i. not d.fined by [I<
mode of p rooLK'ion, bu t by th. "~t<m.n" t hat .xpres. it .nd the ""'-
h[li,i« th.. efjec'u~t< ,,_
Doleuz< ~nd Guattari ..."nila .. the FOllC.uld[an "lat ion octw«n t he
" .. able .nd the vi.ihle Ifinonf .,bl~ ,/ I, vi.ible l to the "I. ,ion oct we<n
machines of expresSIon and corpo ...1 ."emblases which 'h<y 'hem_
..Iv" e".bli,hed. Thi. rela,ion h<,ween 'he "atable md 'he vi.ihl •• like
the on. between corpor€11 .... mblag .. . nd machine. of exp""ion, i.
no' reducibl. to t be ba ...... upel"'ucture relat ion i~larxi.m), .ny more
than '0 'ho , igniner-s'gnined .. I.. ion Ilinglli"i", .nd structurali.m).
Th. pmon i, a .p.ce of vi.ib[li,y which mak« . mixture of bodi"".
corporeal .,,,,mhlage Ipri""n''' I•• merge ~nd h< ",en. The pen.1 cooe,
as a machine of expr<>.ion. denn .. a field of "rahili,y I".temen" '"'
ddmquonC}') which c.rri<. out incorporeal tramform..,ions on the body.
Thu, t he ,..,,,hc" oi the court instan .. neously tran.ionn doi.ndan" in'o
",n'meed persons, The machlnic .,,,,mbuge of hodi<. ho< it, form Itne
pri,on ) ~ncl its .u bst.nce Iprisoner» _The n,.chin. of expr .."on .1.0 h»
it> form Itbe penal coo. ) .nd ," ' ""'tance lde llnquency l.
Th...latlon.hip h<tween the vi.ib le . nd 'he " ... hle can be ,hought
neither in tn. fom, of t il< "ructUf< and ,upe,muctur. nm in the form of
"snifi« and ,ignified, .. nee it i, • non_relat ion tb.,"f." to an infomul
ou"ide, . ,'irma!..n ".."tt.

Wha' i, Collfinffi is th~ Outside

Dele"lf provide, onOfher ,'try jmporUnt indiclUOIl to il<lp m define cli<-
ciplinary >O(i«i<>. We know that th< school , the hctmy, t ho hospital and
the barrack< are di,p<><itif' to confine multipl icity, But mOf. fund...men _
.. lIy, ~kuz< "j"', t hat which i. eonnn<d i< t/" Quts,j• . Wh .. " connned
i. the ,-irtu. I, ,h. p"wer of metAmorpho,i. , I:>ecoming. D,sc[plinary soci-
" ... exer",,< t hm J>Ower by neu,rali.ing d ,ffereoc. and repetition ,og«h<r
176 Ma u, izio lonoroto

w i,h ,hei, J>O"-" of '-~ r"" ion (the differ",c. ,h .. m.h •• diff"e,,«), <uh·
mdin .. ing ,hem '0 r<productlon. Th< fUIlC,ion of the 'wning of bodies i.
'0 pre,'<n' any hifurcatlon, to e"d ic." .ny ",,,,ih ility of ,-ari~';on, any
unpredOcubility, from 'el Kln, cond uct md hehavior, In ""'''' rn.gniiic~n'
I"g<>, Foucault .peak> abou , di>ciplo"", a" power which concerns ',he
virtuali,i« of conduc' ,hem",1>'.. \ whOch in ' m-<n« ·., t he m""",n' when
virtuality i, becommg r<ali'}" (Foocault 1003, 53).
Wi,hou, 1 dou b" d'>c'piinary in<titut ion,.r< producti,'e, Th<y do no'
,"' ric, ,h<m.. I,-.. to r~p .." ion, ' h<y comt itUI< bodies, ,!alemenl<,
sexes and '0 on. Bu,., th~ <am< tim. i, i. n« .... ry to r<cogn;"" b.eyond
Fouc.ul" ,h.. 'hoy con!!i,-e a mor< profound ropr .. <ion, no' occame
t h<y wOllld deny an ahady pre",n' hllman natll .., hut becau« d'<ci·
pli"". and bioJ>Ower «para« out ,he foreo, of ,h. out"de. of 'he virtual.
becau .. 'hey "'parat' Oil' ,he forc~. helonging to the dyn. mlC. of the
'd ifference ,h" mak .. 1 difference'.
Disc iplin« and b,oJ>O"-" are mode, of productIon of .ubl<c'i,-"y. bll '
only when 'he infin i'y of mom"", i'y virtually harboured hy 'he ooul
(becoming. mon"eri i•• ubj<c!<d ro 'he «prodoction of dllali,m, (menl
women, nu,.. r/worxer, etc l.
To confine ti.. Otl"id •• '0 confin~ ,he virtu.1. moan. n<UI .. li.mg ,he
J>Ower of in,'en,ion .nd codifying repeti'ion '" a, t o drain" of all J>Ower
of variat "'n. 'heroby roJucing i, to, ' im ple reproduction, In diociplinar)'
"","'i", ", ,,i,ut ion,. whICh ar< ei,he , 'h"", of J>Ower or ,h".. of ,he
labour mov,men'. do notl:now hemming. Thq do ",d""d h.", a past lira·
di'ion,l, a pre....,t {a dminiltrarion 01 J>Ower .. lo,ions in ,h. here and now i
.nd, fu,ure tpmgr ... i. bu, til<l' ia"x becoming., \·" i,,,on., TO. soci.1 ",i·
ene .. which leg" 'fTUted ,0. comti,u"on and .c,ion of ,h... ins",utlOns
fune,ion by <quilib"um {J>OlitKai <Lonomy). integ'>lion jDurkh<imi.
reproduction ill"urdi e~), contr,d iction (Marxi,mi. ""'ggie for .ur>ivai
(Darwinismi or competi'inn, but ,he)' \:now norhing of i>ecoming.
They organi'" and impos< 'he temJ>O"lity of 'he clock _ chronological
,im< _ bu, "'1;1«' ' he t<mJ>O"lity of the event, "'''' a. an '~Cfp'ion to he
"eum.l isro, . dangor '0 he .voided, an al",. Y' excep'ional occa.ion to be
"iz<d i"",lu'ioni. The ,ime 01 ,he <wnt, 'he .ime 01 "",.nt ion, ,he ,ime
of t he creation of J>O."hles must he curtailed and fenced in within rigor_
oml)-e", bli,bed procedure. and d.adl;ne,. Antonio Nrgri hl> , hown how
con'~'''''n' J>Ower i,.n anom. ly or an eXc<p!ion lor J>Olitical philos-ophy.
'00. subordin."ed '0 ,0. p rocedur .. of con"i,uted row<r, Fm hi, p.rt,
Tarde h.d ahad}' .bown why <conomK and "",i.1 sci<nc~, exclude any
theory 01 in"n,ion and "">lion, and how ,he)' ca""i ,ute ,bem",I,-.. a.
the",i.. of "produc"on, .. " .,,11 'he c ... wi,b ,he <,,(,.,Iogy of Sourdi<ll .
 life and the living in the Sacielie, af Conrro l 177

Let us uke up again our hYJ'O t h~.i. on the prol if.... ion of I"",ibl.
world, a, ' he on'ology of our pre .. n" ])i"'iplin~ry .""ieti.. ope.ate like
I."ibniz', ('.00. 11><y .110w only on. world '0 1"" ""0 .. a lity, From , hi.
J'Oint of view, thl)' can be regarded .. productive _ 'hey con"i,u," t he
monad, fo r the world of di>< iplm,ry ,ocieti.. and ,hi, world" ",cluded
in <.ch monod 'hrough the techniques of confinement and b iopow"" lIu!
they bruully pre,'.,,, ,i>< mfinity of oth", po"ible world, from p""ing
",t o roalit y. Thl)' b lock .nd control becoming and difference.
The ,heon.. of <quilibrium Ipoli,,,,.l l'Conomy and .""iolo!;yl or t he
,heori.. of contradic,ion IH<£eI .. ni.m and !>,"rxi.m), .. well a, tho
proctic .. 'hI)' .u,hori"" h",-€ t he .. me horizon m common, the Id oa ,ha'
' here i, only on< I"",ib le world. Reproduction of J'Ower and ",izme of
J'Ower, e-qul librium and contradiction. respond parad oxicall,' '0 the .ame
pro blem, to li"< together in •• ingle I"",ible wor ld,
In • truly . "om.h"'g way, th .... prac'ic« _ which <xclud e bo,h the
ou"ide and becoming _ com-erged in the ,wentieth century in J'Olici .. of
phnning, thar is, in the neu'cali .. ,ion and control. a' a roci.1 Kale. of
'he l<>gic of event, of ,he cre .. ion and produ«ion of ,he now. We could
'peak of the triumph of roprodu«ion onr d ifference, in capital"m ..
woll a. In "",i.li,m , lIut ,hi. triumph <an only be ,hort-li,d, A, t be end
of the nineteenth contury, the oociology and philoiOph,' of Tarde alre.dy
announced the f,ilure of thi' will to conn"" the outside, thi' will to make
onl)- or>< d iSCIplined world among the infinity of J'O"ible world, pan
into exi"ence. The Weberi.n ' iron Glge' Iu. been broken, the monad.
h,,-o fled from the disciplinary ,,-mId by ,",-enting incomJ'O"ib le world.
wh ich are actuali",d within t he .arne world.
Tho ><ri"" con" ituted by t ho mon.d, do not con.erge .ny long ..
'owHd, t he .. me disciplinary wor ld, but di"<fgo ho", .nd now. The
worl d na. really become difference, bifur..""n of bifu"."on. , " In t he
,al.. of Ilorg.. where all po>.ibl", co<xi",
Let u. take up . gain the exampl .. mentioned . 1>",-" cia" .. do not
manage to contain multiplicity, in the <am< wa)' that hetero",xuality no
longer normali ... the thousand .. xeo, Th. mo",tor as moda lit), of <ub·
joeti,at ion deplo)'. it.. ]! in the here and now, Only rhen is the .. d ,cal
ch,nge in the form. of organi .. t ion of power and the modali,,", of ito
exerci .. produced.
For J'Owe~ the problem no longer lies in the connnement of the out<icle
and t be di«ipl ining of wh at<>-" . u h""ti,-iti"l.ub;<ct",j", quelc01Iqu" l
lafter h"'ing «p.rated them from to. virtual. from creation). Since ,he
ollt<id< and the J'Ow<r of proliferatl"" of d ifference h,,'e tent asunder ,he
regime of confiTl<mcn', thl)' can be ""zed only t hmugh modulation, It i.
178 Mau, izio lonoroto

no longo, 1 m.tt .. of di..:iplinmg ,hem within. clo..,d 'p.e<, hur of mod·

ul.ring th orn in,n open 'pae<. Control i. ,upe,impo>«1 on to discip lino,
The tim. of the " 'ent, of i",'on,ion , of 'he «e.,ion of poulhl ... <an no
longo, be ,eg.,d.d a. ,n "ception. hu, mllst inst<ad be .. en a, wha,
n""d. to be peliodic.lly Iegulated 1nd captured, Tho ..",m blage of dif·
!<rence ~nd repe'it ion ca nnot be n.utr.li<ed any mo«. bu , must be con·
trolled •• ",ch.
It wa. around ,he e .. nt< of 1968 ,ha' thi. new reality a.",,,.d iudf.
",'en if it Iud beon 'here lor a long ,im e, manifestmg i"ell In diff ..<n,
ways throughou, 'he century (in a" ... ",.11 a. in poli'ical and cultural
mov.men,, ),
Bu, what i. modul.,ion .. a modal it y of ,h. '-'Hci", 01 power' Wh ..
.,. ,h. fo rce. whid modu),'ion (ontrol, and cap'ures?
The DoI<u.ian concept of 'modulat ion' IDeleuze 199Qj' harboUr<
con, idenbl. beuri<tic I"... ihil i,i •• which I would like to exam ine here,
Unlike what go" , on in di.c ip linary .o"ierle<, whore on" mo.'" Imearly
and progre .. i,·eiy from one 'e""losure ' t o ano,h .. Ifrom ,m, school t o
tho army, from 'he ann yto 'he factory), Del"uzo . how. ,hat in the soci ·
erie< of control one is n,,'er done wi.h an~·.hing. On" mm'" from .h"
school to ,h. ""terpri. . . nd from 'he <nterpri"" on" r<turn. to «hool.
and so OIL
I would lih to extend 'hi< ""ioioglCal reflection on modula'ion .. a
d i, gr,m of t he nexibility of production md ,ubj<c'i.it~, by .. izing bold of
'he now wneept. of 1if. and of ,he Ii" ing implOeJ by 'hi< moo.li,y of [he
action " f pow... It i. n<C .... !}· th"n ' 0 <t.rt from [he power exercIsed on
hie thiopower). which Fouc,ul! use< '0 define the discipl in' !}'soci"""""

From Disciplinary Societies to tho Societie. of Control

Disciplin"y ><>ci"""" >Ie characl<ri..a hy tho ,><.mbhge of d i«ipJin,!}'
power md biopolitical pow",. On this poin' Foucault i. unequivocal, di.·
ciplin.!}· I<chniques "ere born a ' the ond of .ho sc,,,,nl<<n[h <entU!}' ,nd
'he blopol itica l techn iques rome fifty years bror. in ucond h.Jf of the
<lghr""n centu!}',
Bu, wh .. don ~ouuult mean by hiopo",,,1 Biopower i. a mod,hty of
action WhICh, like diiCip lines, i, oimtd 01 a ",hot. ." multiplicity. Where ..
discipl inary [echniqur. tran.form bod.". hiopolilic.1 [ochnologi<> ,r<
aimed.[ a mul!iplicity in . , mllCh a. it constitute<. global m.ss, i",'est.d
",i[h ",·<r.1I procn .. , ,h .. >r~ .pecific t o lif. _ such a. birth, death, pro·
duc[ion and ill"" ... Diocip lin.ry t<chmqu<s only know the body and [he
indIvidual, whi l. b,opow.. targ"'" [he popub[ion, man quo .p<eir. and,
 life and the living in the Sacielie, af Conrro l 179

" t he lim i', • • Fo""ault "l"' ;n 0"" of hi, COU"", mln qua .piri' or mind.
Biopolitic. 'install, hodi .. wit hin overall biological pr<><e",,'.
If w. follow Foucault'. de"'''p'i",,", w. can ... ily identil)' ,he>< 'ech·
nologi<> with t he poli'ico of the Welf.re SUI<. The ob",« of biopower i.
the fertili,y of 'he 'peeio. Ipoli,ic. of 'he family, binh control. etc. 1 bu,
.1.., tho oxten'. du .. tion and in'<mity of tho d ominan, di", .." . wi,hin •
gi,'en popul .. ion lpoli'i" o f he.lthl. Wi,h the do,'e!opment of in du.",·
a1i"'t;on, new , .."in. of in",,'en,ion appear, indu<trial accident<. ",h
rel ... d to ' he 10.. of emplo)'ment (;ob l... n< .. ),'0 old ag< I""iremon'),
and '0 on. A bn don .. in of in"r""n';on mentioned by Foucault" ,h.t
o f 'he admlni""tlon of te""ory' g<ographic,1 and clin"'t ic elf""". mln'
agen""'t of w... r r.,ourc .., and"" on.
According t o Foucault, ' he p roblem w., no' ,h" of IOven'ing ,mtltu·
"on. of a.".unce which, generally 'peaking, ex,,,ed .Ir.. dr, bu, ,,, ><!
up d,ff.ren' and moro effecti .. Ji,posirif. ,han ,hm.e guar.n,,,,,d , pri.
manly by ,he churd, um,1 'he middle of 'he ",,,,,",,,,,"t h century' in,ur·
ance. ind ividu.1 and coll«,i"" ...·ing>, .<>cial ><curit)'.
The ob;«ti .. of biopower i, ond eecl 'he mana gement of life. but in
th. ",,,,e ,h .. it """h '0 roproduce 'he condi,ion< of exi"eoce of a
popul.'ion.
!Io,h di>ciplinary and "'opo litlc.1 ' echnique< reach 'heir high"" lovel
of d,,'e!op m<nt .fter ,he "'cond World W,r. wi,h Tay lori.m .nd th"
Welfare S"te. Tni < 'p<>g"" co"<>pond. '0 t h" reorg.ni... ion of t h" di,·
po,itif. of confinement and managemen' of life, impelled by new forc",
and .. btion. of power. Y.t, e""r ,ince the ond of the ni",,'een,h century,
new '«hniqu .. "f power, """mbhng ",i,h" dimplin .. nor biopow<T,
ha .. bE"" in t he p ro" ... of g..,.,ion. How can we donne 'he .ingulari'y
of , ne", r.lauon,. wnoch o.leu," cal l. rd .. ion. of control'
Gabriel Tarde migh' pu, u< on ,1", righ' ",,'h. A, t he end of ' he nine·
teen,h century, when ' he !IOCieti.. 0/ control begin to elabor .." their own
,echniques and dispositif', Tarde explain< th,t the '"",ial group of the
fu t ure i. n<other 'he crowd, the cla«, nor 'he popubtion, bu, t he 'puhl;c'
lor r.. her publicol. By the public, Tarde undersund. the public of tho
media, the pub lic of a n<w, l"pe" " he pu blic i. a d"per..,d crowd ;n
whic h t h" inAuenee of mind. I"prit' i on one .nother ha. become,n
a won a' • di"aoce (Tarde 1989; 17 1.
At the end of 'he nineteenth cen'ury we "nler 'he time of t he public.,
th .. " to .. y. the time in which 'ho fundamental probl"m i, how ' 0 hold
'ogothe r wh ...,·", ,u bl",,'i,'''''' . whoch act on one ano,her at a di>tanco.
III an open 'pace . The ,uho rd""uon of '1'''''' to tin", denn .. , 'pac..,ime
bloc which ",,:arnat« i,,,,II, according to Tard e. '" 'he t«hnolog;". 0/
1flO Ma urizio lonoroto

. pe.d, tr~mmi"ion, con .. gion and prop,gation >t. di, .. ne<. Wh.,ea •
• be disciplinary IOcbniqu. . ." funddmen .. l1y muctu"d in .p~ce, .b •
•",hniques of control a nd con"itutlon of tb e publoc .110w on< ' o h ring
. ime and it> virtu.lo.i« to ,be foreg round. Th. pub lic" constituted
t hrough it< p.... nco in t im<.
T..d o g"'ped at their birth ,hr.. phenomon, whicb ume to ch.uc·
teri ... he "",i",i.. of control .nd their m ... iye deployment, st.rting from
the >e<:ond h.lf o f the tw<nti",h crn.ury onwHd" 111 the emorgence of
t h~ co<>pe .. t;on be.ween broin. and ito functioning b}' flo,,~ .nd con·
n«toon" network and patchwork; jl l .h. rio< of .h. techno logic.1 Ji, ·
po.i,i'. of .ction ~t • d i".nc. , which duplic. te and .mpli!),.he power
of ..,ion at • di."n« of mon.d " to leg .. ph , telephone, "nem., tel""i·
. ion , the inte rn"'; 131 . h. corresponding PH'ce..., 0/ . ub j«"".,ion ,nd
.ublec"on, t he f",motion of publics, .hdt i. to uy. the con"itutlon of.
h<ing toge.her that take, ph ce in .ime.
11>< .<>ciet;". of control g<ner>te . heir OW" technologi... nd pro,,.,,,,,,
of .ubi«.ivation. which are noticeably diff<ren. from the .echnologi ..
a nd pr<>C...... of .uhj"'ti,·dtion of d,><:iplin .. y .<xieti... The 1.<x;,1 .nd
t<'<hnologi<> 11 m.chin. of expre .. ion not only c,nllot be reduced to ,d e-
ology. ,. Marxi.m and polit ical <conomy wi.h to do, but It becom«
more and more the m.tegic locu. for the control of t ho proce .. of comti-
""ion o f the soci.1 world. It i. in i, ,nd .hrough i. t hat the nent . ctu-
ali... i"elf in ..,mi. and eff.ctu>t" it",1f in hodi~ •.
Th. intograt ion a"d d ifforentlation of now force •• of new pow .. "I.·
. ion. , take. rh« t hrough !l<W institu.ion> Ipublic opinion , col1ecti,..,
perception and col1"".i," int<i logenc<) .nd new techniquo> lof ""tlon at
• di.unc.). III t ho ><>eiwes of control, power "I..iom come to h<
,xp re,,,,d th rough tho .ction at a dist,nce of one mind on another,
t hrough the brain'. power to a l f"". and become aff""ted, wh ich i. medi-
a. iS«! ,nd . nriched by technology , 'The nI€chmic.1 me.n, d"igned.o
ca rry far an d loud th o .ugg.. ti,·e action of .h. I•• d.. Iword •• writing,
p rin'l do not a.s.< th.ir prog"'" rrard. 1(0 ) , 58).
The institu.ion< of the .<xi",i.. o f control ~re thu. ~haracteri .. d by.he
us.< of 'he . oehnologies of .cting at a d ist.ru:e , uther rh.n of mechanic.1
",;:hnologi .. loocieties of "',""ignty) o r thernlo d yn,mi, te.:hnolog ...
Id i",iplin.ry ""'iflies).

Crowds, Chose. and I'ub lics

If the coope"""" h<tween Df1 in> , xp"""" It"lf fir" of all in t be form
of pub l,c op mion , th .. i" .. ludgement> forme<! ,nd held in common, it
 life and the living in the Sacielie, af Conrro l 1B1

then dnelop. a. the ore.,ion of rer<ep" ,nd conapt' thot ~re .1",
f",med a nd held in common Icollectin rerc<ption and collectin intelli·
gene' l, th.nh to the tcchnologi", of televi,ion a nd the internet. The
internet Integ"'" ,nd d ifferent i,te, the ,"!lOU' met,morpho,"" of
puhlic opini()fl. rer«p'ion ,nd col lecti,'e mtellige""e,
But let u. con<ide r for a momen' the public; Of t he public. (for there
are ,e",roll.nd ' he nm'elty the)" introduc< into .-,ion .nd I><ing 'ogeth".
The pub lIC 'phere i, the fo,m of .ublcctiv.rion which 1><" exp '"'''' t he
pl .. tlCi'y .nd function.1 indiffere""e of ' he 'wh~te vor' ,ubi«".i'y
(monadl, The "I.,ion of belonging t hat indi.idual, and publico h,a,-e '0
one another i. not a reh,ion of .xclu,"on .nd ident ity, 'hough an indi·
,'idual can onl)' I><long '0 one cia .. or crowd .. a tin"'. he or ,I>< m.y
imte.d I><long, at t he "OJ"" ' ime, to different publics (muhi-membership,
to use current "", . )Iogical termi nology). l:ud e', md)v)d u.l, "",ddling
different po"ihlc world" i. lixe the arti" whom 1'1.'0 w.nted '0 exclude
from hi, Republic. He i•• multiple ~nd mimetic m.n. hut w>thin the COfl'
<ti,u".e ,nd ,,-oking dynamic< of ", .... 1 puh lico,
Thne pubil« exp"" new .uhjecti"i,i .. and form< of .oc)ahltl""
which were unknown in di«iplinary ",cieti"" Ind",d. " he forma,ion 0/
a puhlic ,uppo,,,. f.r more .d .. ncoo men"l and .oci. 1evolut ion t h.n
the form>!ion of. crowd or. cI ....· ITarde 1989, 38~9I-
Wit h the emergence of ,hi. "" iet}' of publics. society d raw, Hen clo""r
to Tarde', pri"ileged ""'taphor, the brain, In 'he pu blic. in.en"on and
im itation a re di"cmlnated in. m.nner which" '.Imo" m"~ntaneou"
like 'he prop.gation of. w •• e in a rerf«tly eJ.."c milieu', ,h.nk, '0
technologic. , hat make po",ble 'he .ction at ~ di".nce of one mind on
ano,h<f Iq u•• i-photogr.p hi<: reproduc'ion of a cereb",1 .".p,ho, b}' tb e
«n,iti ... urf.ce 0/ .not hor hra inl . With t he public 'we m,h ,oward thi,
"r.nge ideal' of !-OCiabl l"y where brain' 'touch on. o,her at e.. h .nd
..-ery instant through mul"ple con,munica"on," .. i. the <1. . today
with Ihe internet (ibId,; 391,
The di,-i,ion of "",iety into . pluulity of publics 'i . ,urerimpos<d
more and more ob"iomly .nd <ffecti ... l)' on it< religio"" economic, ... -
thetic .nd poli"cal divi,ions', It doe. not rep bce ,hem, In the 'eI."ic
milieu' of ' he cOGrer>!ion het",«n b"in. and of intercereh r. 1re l."on"
puhlic. deh"".t" ALKlUlIion. a nd bifurcat ion. which refonnul >!e the
rigid and univoc.1 «gmenta'ion. reprnented by d ..,,,, .nd «>cial
group" 'B}' ,ub"it u'ing or .urerimpo.ing , hem«I,,,. on older group·
ins" the new ~ increas ingl)" more extended and m."ive _ grouping.
which we <all pubil« no' only m.xe the reign of f.. hion follow t h., 0/
h.b" . • nd Innov."on th., o f tr.di' ion , the}' .1", rep l.-e 'he cle.. and
110 2 Ma urizio lonoroto

pt'"i.rent divi.ion, be",wn the mult iple ".,i<ti.. of hun .. n •• ",ciatiom

. nd th.i, interminable conflic .. wit h a complete and . ari.bl. segm.n .. ·
t ion twho .. limit> are b lurred) in t h< pr""e .. of pt'rpt'tual fOnewal and
mut ual pt'netrat ion' (ibid. , 70 t,
Thm, the proc ..",,, of <o<i.1 ><gmentation become fle~ibl •• or. in
De leu," term" deteffitoriali",d , The difficulty of irrugining and g"sp-
ing the"" new proc .."". of . ubtectivatlon a fier tbe bre.kdown of oocia l
da","" ,urely bound, on the on< hand, to the difficulty of undemand·
ing the b w, of comtitutlon and .aria,ion o j the« m""ing and ch.nging
5<gmenta,ions, which .. em d,,'oid of object i,," b,se< , on the o.her, to t be
Marxi« t hoorotical t",dltion, wh ich rroue., the modali.i .. of as"", .. ·
tlon of pu blics '0 ideology.
In. «..-nee·fictlon «ory which w • • , oncei .. d In 1~79. finIS hed in
1S ~4 and . ppt'a rmg for the firs t tim o In 1 896, Ta rde provId e. u. with an
effectiv •• ynth .. i, of the panas< from di«;plinar)' .oci rti .. to tbe "",i·
<ties of control , ·the an.,chic regIme of co.'Homn,n i. followed h)'
tho autocrat ic go.wnmont of op inion. which h .. become omnipotent'
rrarde 1000, 35). Tbe politIca l and economic func t ion, of opinion
cannot he bcough' b.ck ' 0 ,h . mecha",.m. of Hploitat ion and .u bjec-
t ion ,pt'cilic to d isciplinary l<OCieties and the market (,he anarchic regime
of co,etoll.ne .. ).
The control of op inion, of I.nguage, of regime. of . ign., of the circu-
lation of knowledge, of comumption. and '0 on, rof." to unpr«.dented
t<ehniques of power which will be described •• fter Tarde. in rho work of
B.khtm in Ihe So.'l€! Runi. of th. 1910. and In tho philo>ophy of
1).louze and Gum." around 1968.
B.kh'In . how. U. how t be muitipIiClt}, of language>. form, of enunci·
ation • • and ",miot ic. wit hin 'h e pre-c.pltalist world (multilinguali.ml
are repr<5!-eci .nd 'llbordinated to a langu.ge which, b)' impo'ing it.. lf
., nl1joritarian. be<:om .. t he noml1t ive coding of e~pr< .. ion I monolin·
gui,m) ILIII:ur1to 1004 , Ch~pr<r 4 1, Deleuz< .nd Gu.ttari d.ocribe t""h·
mque> of the comtitutlon of muhipl i<'ity qua ' m.jority' whICh. by
I•• elling difference,. produce . mode l that serves .. . ... ndard, in which
on. c.n ",e the prototypt' of .h. con<truct;on ~nd me"mement of te l.·
mion audiences or of opinion through .u,,'ey •.
n.. (Oncepl of n ploiution. buill on the di.lrctica l capital-boom
re lation, i. ab,olutely inadequ.te fo r gra.ping these t«hniqu« for the
",miot;c control of t he exp",,;on of multiplicity which .ccompanied •
• nd oft.n antKll"'ted. the ad,..,nt of <>pluh.m,
The t«hnique, of subj""tlon in the "",<tIOS of control did not replace
th"", of the di«lplmary soci<,,,,•. but were ,upe"m posed upon th.m.
 life and the living in the Sacielie, af Conrro l 183

i>ecoming more and more inva.i,", to ' he poin' that to,!.y they constl·
'ute t he indi' p<n<>ble pre,uppo,ilion of capi<aliotic accumul.,ion,
IIoth ,h,. exploi'a'ion and acrumuh,ion of capiu l a,. ,imply impo"i.
bl. wi,hou, ,h. tr.n,fOlm>tion of Iongui"ic multiploClty in'o 'he ma,o,i-
ta,ian modellmonolingui,ml , " i ,hou, 'he impo. i' ion of a monolingu.l
'egime of exp ,.",ion, md withou, t he con"i,ut ion of ' he .emiotlc power
of capital.

Lif. and the li ving

If t he technologie, of .ction at • di"aoce and the m.ch ine. of exp""'''''
i>ecomo tho funda"",n .. l mean. fo, the captUle of multipliCIty in an opt'n
.pace md if publoc opinion" the fi", new In"i,utlon of multiplicity,
wh ic h ". the new forc« ,hat are man ifest.d in ' hes< power ,dation,'
It i, only after h,,',ng defined ' he« new fore« t hat w. will he a ble '0
return '" t ho notion of modula,ion, To undemand all the implications
contained In ,hi, notion, we mun inve"ig"e t he concept. of life and of
,he li,ing, i>ecause" i, lif" and living heing< which ore, in t he final analy.
• i",h. obiec" of moduht ion.
BiopolitKal techniqu .. a im a' life, ' hey are directed t oward. the hYing
I><ing insofa, a, i, helong. to tho human 'pe<ie" Th.y "",k to ,esuhte
the lif. aff"'t.d by dis<a ,"" unemployment, old age, d.a,h , the lifo '0
whic h ,hey rof.. i. ,h. reproduction of a popu lation. Th. technique, of
control ar< . 1,0 addr.ned to life, hut In a noticeably diff... n, ",n..,. It i.
ano,h«concept of hie {and of li,ing beingl wh ich must I>< b,ought in'"
phy t o und<l<tand 'he power tha, the.e techniqUe< '')' to moduht<.
To do t hIS, w. mmt return t(J Nietzsch • . t he truo in.p ira'ion I><hond
FOlKault'. ,h<'O'f of power. Lih Ta,de, N ietzsche too oft.n u'"'" t he
r«ul" of , he biology and phy.iol(Jgy of hi. tim< to crit",i« ' he ,h oori..
o f ' he .u bj oct. By ""'ing ou' from t he living body an d i" physiology,
mol",u!., biolog}' .llow. on. '0 qu",,,on 'he autonomy, independence
and uni,), of ,he ",If propounded by th e ph'lo.ophers. Ni<tz1<:he, like
Ta rde, Ji",o,",rs m "mol«ula,' b iology, in the mul'iplicity of innnite.i·
m.1 I><ingo ",hich con"it ute bodies linfinite.imal I><ing. which w.n' , feel
10d ' h onk l, in thei, rela, ioo< and t hoir fo rm of political o'gani.ation, a
concep' of .uhim,. iry ,hat differ. from the Kami.n T a nd ia moo.l<·
ti« of .c,ion and .uffer ing"
Again , i, i. b y ".rtlOg from biology that Ni<t<sch. can . a r that "I><ing
i. Ii"ing' and ,bat "t here are no other being". But wha, mor< general
d efinit ion of ,h. Ii,'mg cuul d I>< drawn from the "udi.. of molecula ,
b,ology o f th< «<(Jnd h.lf of ,h. nme",.nth «ntury? Momo,} I,h.
1104 Ma urizio lonoroto

power of actu.Ii,.,ion of the "iftual\ i. the i"educlhle pro""rt)' th.,

both N,et=he and Tarde. in differont wa)~, p bc~ at the bam of th~ir
d~fin ition of th~ li,ing. T"de and Nietz.<che alike find thi. definition 01
t ho liv ing in the scientific work. 01 the time, in I"rticul>r In Emu
Haochl". booh on evolution .
For tho German b,ologiu,1I the infimte.imal element> tpl."itud .. t 01
a body• • 11 th~ organic mon.d., ha,'e • memory, wherea. th is pro""rry
lor aptitud <1 i. bck ing in t he non.li,ing. Tar<k interp .." Haeckel". mol ·
<cui" bIology in t ho light of t he theory of multiplic ity. Accord Ing '0 him,
Haeckel pro.'id... truly rem .. bhl< ' mon.dological". ,hat i. , ulbn izian
int<rpr"'''ion of the doctr i... o f omlution,
Thi. definition 01 'he living as memory" a con".nt in biology .nd
p h)~iol ogy, The definition 01 'he li,ing in contemporary molecular
biology i. in no way differ<n, from 'h1! of l-LIechl, "lb~ ",,,,nc< of t he
li,ing i•• memory, the phy.ical pre ......u ion of the 1"" in 'he pre><nL
By reproducing ,h<m.d,-n, [he form. of life bind t he 1"" to the p re..,n,
and rKord m .... g.. for t he fu,u",' tMarguli •• nd S'g.>n 1001, 64 t.
According [0 Tarde. withou, memory. wi,hou, this fore< t. Jur1!ion
th1! con«rvn t, wi,hou, this fertl lo .ucce"ion 'hot contr.ct< 'he hefor<
in 'he . fte r, t hore would he no .en •• ,ion, no lifo, LlO ,ime. no .ccumu la-
t ion and thus no glOwth, For Ikrgson, T..d o'. lim ·disciplo'. wit hout this
dur.tion the world would he forced to "art a"" w at evory moment, The
",mid would he a pre«nt re"".,ing it", lf indefinitely, alway. <qual t o
it«lf, M.tt" it..:if would not he po .. ihl< without this dur .. ion. The cr<·
.. ion and ro.l"at ion of the ",n.ibl. pr«uppo« the . cti,-"y of memory
a nd .tton"on, a. w<lI .. their power of actuali.ation and ..""t it ion.
Any « n.ation. developing itself "'-€f time. "'quit'" • force which con·
sen'« th1! which i. no mor< with in t hat whICh is; . dura""" which con·
.. ,,-« the d~.d In t he aliv<. Wit hout it, all .. n.atiom would he reduced
to mere eXCItation. Tho /orc~. mohil i«d b}' t ho coo"" .. t ion hetw~n
brain. and captured by the new in"it utiom tpublic op inion , etc. 1 are
therefor< th o.. of ITl<mory and attention. The iatter i. defined .. ' Intel ·
I«tual <ffon' by Ikrg>on and •• 'con.,,,,, of tho brain' by Tard <.
The philo<ophy of diff<ren« i. the fir" to tackl< 'ho new molecular
biology .nd the "00 ... on the hrolin. Ikr&,oo ', work wn«m. the living
no! onl;' because il direc!I)' coniron!> biology .nd fYOIUllooary theory.
bu t more preci",ly becau« of hi. ",,,,.rch on memory. time . nd ito
moda li""" of action, the "ift".1 md the actual
Mem()ry, a«ording to ""'rg.on, i. t he co~x i "ence 0/ all t he Vlrt".1
rememhunc<> l",u.'e";" 1 Ithe f.mou. ",-er",d cone of Mall'" a~d
Mnnory " <on",tuted by an Infin ity ()f ci[d« whi< h open on to the
 life and the living in the Sacielie, af Conrro l 185

infin ite .. the top _ the virtual _ and . re do",d IOward. tbe ""ttom _ tb e
actu.ali. To remom""r ",m<tbing d<><. not con.i" in looking for. r<mem·
br.ne< in "",mory, " tbough one were rumm. ging through, dr.wer, To
remem""r ""met~ing _ lih every . c'imy of mind _ i. '0
.<tu.li", •
virtu .l, .nd ,hi•• c'U1li..,ion i, . cre.,ion •• n in dividuotion .nd not •
• imple rep roduction. Thi' proce>< i. de>cribed by Ilerg!iOn a, ·intellec,u.1
work' .•nd i, i",'ok .. , as in THde , both memor}' .nd ,ttentoon,

s" ,,.,,hout ""nt",,,. "" «n"!KIn. . No,,' ",h .. " """""", 00< <>"
.,,""" th.. " i• • n , ffot! to" .,,,,,,, ,he 'P«;oc,,,,,,, "I" o,,,,.m "" ...
>"
''''"'- Bu,,, ,oo.,IJ I>< U"'N ,hat tl>< . flon. '" pur< l"y.:hol"ll,cal ~u;'"
."d "","""HOS ltum to. c,"",oo .. ,,", n,""""I,, ..,,,,,,,. ;," J"it<, iT".k
18~.1, H71

Memor}" ,".n,ion ,nd t he rela'ions wh."by 'hey are ac,ua ii",d

becom~ .ocial ,nd economic fore". 'h3t must "" captured m order '0
contml and exploi, the ..",mhl,ge of difforen« and fore' i' ion. It i, by
ren,.ining fa i'hful to ,hi, intellec,ual teadition tha, Deleu"" can . ffirm
'hat in '. lifo there are nothmg bur virtual,' ILhleuz< 199.\1.
We can now re'um '0 ' he concept o f moduht ion. The capture. control
and r'!;uJ.'ion of the action at • di,unce of one mind on anot h.,. take.
place 'hrough ,be modu]" ion of Aow. of d "".. and ""lid, .nd through
the force.lmomory .nd .".ntoon) that make ,h .. e Aow. circulate in t ho
cooperation betw«n brain,.
In mooub'ion, as ~ modali'y of th o ex"ci", of power, it i, . Iw~}",.
qu<ltion of bodi«, hu, now it i, r.t hor the incorporeal d imen"on of
bodi .. wh ich i, .. ".h. Th. 1O<i",.. of con'ml if,..e" ' plfi,ua l, r .. hor
th.n bodily, memory (contrary to 'he disciplinary "",iori«). Man qua
.pirit or mind. who, accord ing to Foucaul" wa< the ohject of biopowor
on ly at t he limi'. now com .. to tbe foreground,
Th< .""i<t}, of contro l ex .. ci=- ," power th.nb '0 ' he t«hnologi..
of ' he awon a'. distmco 0' image. ""und and d ... wb,ch fu"",ion lih
mach ine< '0 modu late, '0 cry".IIi ... el<ctrom.gnetic w ..·.. junarato
19981 . nd ,·,hration. jrad io, .. Ievi,ionl or t o modulate .nd cry".IIi",
packets ofhit> lcompute" and d ig,,.l networh). Th..., ino'll. nic w,,· ..
d upl;cat< t he w.,·.. by which monad. act on one anoth«.
W. a lread}' find indication, of Ihi' ';mati"n or [he fnd of In. nine·
t«n,h century. Indooo for Tarde, .ction at • di"ance. the imp.-. .. ion of
one nund on another, con«"... i, ... lf in 'wo w.y• . Fir", m y imp'"''''''''
i. cons<rvoo, rep<,t<d in momor)-,. Second. ""Ofy <xpr<... d imp r ..,ion,
"th o entire w,,"e of 'he .oul,.o to 're,k, i, prolongod in infinit< .nd indef·
m"ely ..olving undul.,,(m'. Tn. .. undulation. man ife .. t hemsclv«
1fl6 Ma urizio lonoroto

.ccording to cm.in reg"l .. iti« .nd the technological di,positif' act hy

inte,,<ning on th<<< regulari" ...
tf memory and a tton,ion .t< Ii"iog <ngin.. func'ioning on .n organic
en~rgy. ,h" i, to "y, on t he .inu.1. ' he techno logIes of action at a di,·
"nc< ore artifici. 1 <ngines , . rtlficial memor'" ,hat a.",mbl< them«lv<s
w i,h the Ii,ing engin« hl' interf"ing wi,h ,he func'ioning of memory.
Th< machin", for crys.,lIi,ing or modul .. ing t ime are di,po,ilif'
ca p.hl< of im<"uing in ,h. even'. in ,h. cooper .. ion hetw"",n hrain<,
through the modulation of the forc", ~ngag<d ,herein. therehy l>ecoming
pr«ond i'i"", for "'<')' proc"". of comtitutlon of what< ... r .uhilXtl. i'y.
Con«quen,ly 'h" pro«" comn to re..,m nl. a hannoni"'t ion of wa"e<,
a polrphony 1'0 borrow 8.lkhtln', ,xp re,,"m t,
t, i. thm n.«».ry to dlStingui.h lif... m<ITJ()ry from l if~ .. ,he.." of
hloioglCal ch'[1C1"i" i" of the hUmIn 'peei., Id .ath, h"'h , d,«.s< ,
<tc, t , tn other word" w< mm' d i" ingui.h 'he ' hio' conuined in 'he cal·
.go,)' of hiopower from t ho bio contai n.d in memory_ tn order not t o
n.m< <u<h d,ffer<n' thing< with 'he >am< word , one could define tho n.w
",latlon. of power which lake memory and i« conalJls I.tt.nt iont a. ' heir
obi<'<" b cking a h<tt« '<fm. a. n(""polltic, -' Noo.politico Ith. on..,m·
hie of 'he '«hnique. of controit i. eX<fci.ed on t ho b<ain _ II invol,'"
ahov • • 11 a ttontlon, md i. aimed >t 'he mntwl of memo,)' and it> .",u. 1
power. Th< modulat ion of m<mory would thLH h< ,h. mo" import.n,
func,ion of noo--politic<.
tf disc ip line< mould.d bodi .. by con"i,uting hah", mainly in bodily
memory. ,he <DCi<ll<' of control modulate brain. and comtitute hah",
mainly in ,plfi,u,1 memory.
\1/. thus h..,. the moulding of lhe hod}' emmed hy di«iplin<s(primn.,
""hooi , hClory. <tc t. tho man'g<"",n ' of life org.>ni«d by " "'PO"""
IW.Jf.re Stale, poli'i<. of I><alth, <!C.I. and ,h. moduL.'ion of m<mOfY and
i« .ittu. 1 powm regulated b}' n""'po li'ics IHe",.n, .ud io-" i.ual and
t<km .. ic n<"<worh, con"i,u,ion of puhli< np inion, of percept ion and of
coll<.:tin in,.Jligonc< i. SociologICally W~ have ,hi. """"nee, working cI . ..
{•• one of 'he moo. litle. of confinernen'i. population, puhlico.
Th<.." of th .. < di.po,itif•. not jUil ,he Ia.., con"i,u,". Ih< .DCi«}' of
control.
Th ... ,hr.. different di.po,itif, of power. I>orn in differ"" I"'riod •• nd
«rvi"!; h<terogen<ou. purpose<, do not replace one ,,,,,,her. hut af<
in" ..d »",mbled wi,h on •• no,her. Th< Uni,od Sta,« repr=n" tod.}'
t ho mo.' compl<,. modd 01 a ooci<ty of control int<g,"'ing the t hree dis·
poo,'if' of power. The d i«ip linar}' di.pooi,if. o f confin.ment h..'< nude
oxtr. ord mary .tride. ,here. p.rticuJ.rly when" com .. '0 p"""n., The
 life and the living in the Sacielie, af Conrro l 1107

'wo million prisoner> rurrently occupymg Ameri,.n pmon. r<pr<><nt.

'oul per<entase of the population th" no d,seiplinary ,oc;ety h•• ev<r
managed '0 attain. The b,opoli' ;c.1dispo,ifi{, for 'he managemen' of life
do no' di"'ppe.r, but, on 'he ,ontrary. e~l"n d and .re profoundly tran.-
fo rmed , from welhre '0 workfare , from insurane< against "",i.1 ri.h
lunemployment , retiremon', di",.><) to interven,ion. in 'he life of indi-
,-i du,l. lor<ing ,hem into emplo;ment , into ",,,'itude '0 ,ubordmato
work . Th< new dispo. iti{, of noo'poli,i« I'he fir>! of whKh ",,,-er,hele,,
dare from the second half of ,be nlOctun,h cen,uryl h,,-. undorgone
unpr<<<dented d,,-dopmen' ,hanh '0 informa,i« and telematic., The
differe""e be,.,.,.«n t hem lies in ,h. degr« of ·deterritorial i.ation" ..
Doleme wou ld put it. W. <ould "'Y th at noo.pohtK' ",mmand. and
r<organi ... the other power r<bt ion. b<ocau<e it opera' .. 11 ,he m",'
deterr i,ori.li.ro level {t be virtua lity of the ac,ion betw«n hrain. l.
It i, n<",rlh.h. 'rue that at a glob. IIe,-el we . re wit ne"ing a boom
in di«:ip lina ry imtitut ion •. For in".",,<, ooth 'he fa<tory and work ...
Marx and the emnomi", under"and i,. are not In retreat hUI. on the
mntrary, 10 full dewlopme n" The In tern ..;onal boor Organization
IILO j h .. pointed out thar 146 million cbildron b<tw..,n the ag .. of 5
and 17 foar< are currently work ing. Simib rl ;'. in western countries, t he
wage regime i, expand ing when mmpa red to 'he period 01 Fordi.m, lIut
tbi. d"". no' . Iter 'he fa« ,b., tho paradigm .,.,.ithin wbi,h the .. p he-
nomen. are in«r;bed h.. changed radl<ally. Tho inablli,y to unde"und
this change on the b.. i. of the p.. adigm of 'he work .• uh jocr i, "-<0 mor~
manifest on the politKa l t ha n on 'he ,he",,,,i,al I,,'el.
Industrial work i. no longer at ,he centre of capita Ii" \-alori .. ' ion. nor
i. i, a mndd of pol i' ;<al and soci.l . ubjocri,-ation valid ior all >o<i.1 for,«.
nor indeed i. it the exdu. ive forc~ able t o produce in","u';on. a nd form.
of polotici. atlOl1 in t he soci«i .. of control, In we"ern countr;"'. the wage
rem.in. ,he domon.n, form in which capitali.m exploits woperation . nd
' he u p" ;'y fo r im-ent ion of wh.tever . ub je<:tlviti.., 00' it h•• explod",
into a mul'ipli,ity of .«ivi,i.. . od statu,"", expre .. iog ,u b,.,,,iviti.. . nd
"""cta,;;'n. wbich c. onOl be redoud '0 the trad iliona l concept of cI ....
lIut 'he prohlem" ewn more r.d iul. It i. not ju.. a qu."ion of oay;ng
tha, ;ndu<tr;al v.-ork i. no longer at 'he centre of upita lt<t ,-alori,arion.
Once we Ju,'. im-entoried . 11 the nfW fom" of .(ti,-ity. ooce w. h,,-e
affirm'" that languages. a ffee". knowledg", .nd life be<ome _ ;n t heir
.ssemb lage wit h ,"product;". ,,-ork _ produc'i,'e , "" .. ill d o no' under·
.. and the dynami, 'hat make, poss ihle ,hi, <f. . ,;on .nd its exploitation,
'he d ynam ic of difference .nd repetition. It i. the I"rad igm of the work·
.oh i~<t whi<h pre,'ent< ll. from .~tng th .. dynamic.
1BB Ma urizio lonoroto

The labo ur Man n,.", a nd Discipli nary Societie.

To ,upple"",nt ~oucault', "",..ch on disciplin1f)" ,o,:ieti.., it would be
n", ..,ar)" to carry out >rudie, of the "I.,ion, th., ,h<>e ><>ei"" .. enter-
" ined w i,h 'he inst i,ution, of the labour monmen' , Born and dneloped
at ,he I>cginning of the nin«een'h cen'ury against t he logic o f di« ipl",""
t h~ instit u,ion. became, in ' he twen,ieth cen'ury, fundament>l cogs in
t ho prdcti<:e. of confinemen' , Th. ,wen,ieth century wa> the "ag~ for a
con,ergence betw«n capitali,m and «>cial"m , in particular on the poli .
tico of planning. which rep""n' 'he apogee of ,he disciplin1fJ ,ociet i..
a nd t he fulfil""'n' of the logi , of reprodu.:tion. The unpr<di".. bili'J,
unce",mty and I"""bil,,}' of vamt ion pr .. uppo",d by ,he .,,,,m bl'g<
of difference and rope'i' ion , 'og«her wit h the mon<trom ,ubjectiva'ion
t hi .....,"'blage ,mpl;'., were "'ictiJ codifie-d and noutra l,,,,d at bot h the
economic and uKial lnei<. 11>< ·pre ... "abl"hed harmony ' wa, embod·
iro during the Cold War, withou, an)' fundm .. n,.1 diff.renc., in ,ocial·
i>! and cap,ulist planning pohci.. ~hh.
There i. no need '0 reca ll that 'he idea of planning i, a ,oc i.lisr .nd
L"mniu idea, uk"" up by Rathenau during ,he Weimar Repub lic,
which ,hen became t he fad for all ",,,ior "ivil serv.n" .fter ' h o Second
World W".
If planning i. end o"ed w i,h ' pecificity compared '0 ,be disciplinary
soci« i", of 'ho eighto<n,h and nin"' .. n,h «nturies, it i. in the role and
function played within it hy work. conc.ivro .. b",h t he ,ubstance and
measur< of ph nning. Work ",,'ea l.d i,,,,li '0 be ,h. most eifec, i,,,, mean.
of roguia'ing the ont irety of «lC;'t)'. In t he fac,oro<" i, di«ipline. the new
working cI." tthe OS , OUVT;'" ,pi auli,'., or umkill.d worh,,' by pr<.
"<n'ing it from m.nife" ing it~lf a. multip lic,ty and cri' ique of ' he w.ge.
Un,il t he 1970. , m d on Frane< until the 1980., the trade-union .nd
poli'ie.1 insti,ution. of t he hbour mov.men' fough' 'p,nst 'he em«·
gene< of the OS , or umkil lod ope,,'i,',," , .. a now political subj«t I",hieh
no longer corr<>ponded '0 the "orking clas••• under"",.d by .\-ba l
. nd . gainst ,he ir refu •• 1 of reproducti.e work.
In ,he phnned ,ocirty, tho . cc." of "omen, children .nd the . Iderly
to "",ial righ" (wdf.re l ra'''' through ,h. worker. wage' ,,'en t he pro·
duction .nd reproduction of the norm of heler",e~ u.lj ty p",s.ed through
work. no< institu,ion< of pl anning are (omp lrtely '''''<f",d md config.
ured by t he idea of work, ",hieh .... mbl.. ,ogeth.. discip line, and
b,opo",er, confinemen' .nd m.nagem.n, 0/ liie, ,herehy reali. ing t he
mn ' ou" of ".,,")' a,.n ·iron cage" accord ing '0 I};Hler', exp""ion.
Work also be".m ... 'he consti'utlon.1 1""''''' of t he now «publOc. born
 life and the living ;n the Sacielie, af Conrro l 1 B9

ou' of 'he col l,p", of f.",;,m (the Republic of haly. for example . ;,
founded on work, •• ;" con"i,ut io n de.rly " .... I.
So doe. 'hOI mo.n th .. Foucault w,. wrong .nd the ~\arxi," roght ' h
work then the foundat ion of.1I <ocia i lOd power rd .. ion,? To .n.wer thi'
G",,"ion. i, i, n«:<"'I"}' t o highligh, • fundamen .. 1 difference hetw",o
pl.nned """ieti", md the d i!M:iplinHY ""ieti .. 'h" exi>ted hefot< t he Fir<!
World \"\'H, Wit h t he ad ... ot of phnning .nd fo rdi,m . wo rk i, no longer
t he "pontaneou,' ontological power of constitution of the world whid
M1tx .pol<e .hou t, In Fordi,m. rhe pow .. of work ...,d it< regul .. ive
c.pac it y are hound to the politic,l logic which instituted it a, the .uh mnce
and m<1,ur. of .ocirty, Jf work t b.n 'ppc'" as t he ground on ,,·hich .ocial
« ht "",, "e bu ilt . it i, no longer bee.u« i, i. 'hat wh,ch constitu"" the
social world. hu, rather hec. u", the soci.1 and polit ic.1 compromi..
hetw«n trad. untom, !}wne" . nd the st"e con'''tuted it", lf around t he
id.. of work, The gropolttl<al divi.ioll of the world "sted ,hen 00 t he
worhri" dyn. mics whi<:h a im at t he rep roduct ion, control a nd neutr.li·
urion of any . "emhlage of diff.. ence and repetition bj' in",£r"ing the
institution. of rhe hhour mOWOlent into the logic 01 the roprod""tion of
power, Economic reproducti,"' and politi<:a l reproduction t hu, co,ncided
through the iotermedi.. ion of work. \"\'e can rega rd 'he twenti<th cenrury
a. the st.ge for the long and i[[<,""ih l. cri.i, of work .od . uhiect in>of..
.. the .. ar••eon .. the constitun ve powers of ... If and world, If t he
. ub j<'Ctiwork paradigm lu"",ioned .. t he ,y"em of regulation .iter t he
Second World War, it w .. only hec.,... of an ent irdy political !). . . rdeter·
mination.
In t he ",cond h.lf 01 the twentieth cent ury, the appreh.mion oi 'he
proce .. of const"ution of the world 'hrough the concept of praxi. phr. d
a cOll«rnttv< or, at best . regul .. ory rol. ,-i.·ii-vi, power .. lotion., If
.\ Ian', theory had revolution.!}' eff""" in the cyde of struggles which
wrot from 'he d.y. of 1M~ to the Pari. Commun., • «ntury later it can
he ><,<n'o have functtoned ... pow .. lu l nl<an. of integr .. ion.
Tod.y. man)' hal'e forgo tten ,hi, no"'o gloriou, pha .. ,n the h ,story
o f ' he h hour mo,-eO\ent , n",y glorify fordi,m and its cert.inti.. ~ po,·
reriori. which . mounts to a mystiocatton and n<gl"" of hi>tol)'.
The mo,'ements of '68 were not mistaken to regard .. their .d,'" .. ri"
. 11 th . {>DCial,,! .nd capiulinl .dm(at'" of the nfu{r:ah .. {ion of the
a"emh l'ge of d ,fierence .nd ropetition. The I.o<iali" and capital ist'
bur.,,,,,,",, of the planned soc'''y ",ero co[[octly identified •• 'h o gu ard,
o f t ho iron e.ge and 01 the impo'ition o f duali,m._ Renu ining with t he
examp les d.,'elope<! aho,'<, the ye" 1965 wa, pr.,,,i,,,l}, • pomt 0/
rupt uro and fljgh t from the logic of cI." and 'he h........ ~tl1 1 norm,
190 Maur izio lanarato

Long . ftcr the capi .. li". a nd the "at< abandoned it os t he m<am for
dl<ciplining .ocicry. the lII>titutlon . of the hoom mow "",nt ha\'~ con·
t inuoo to liw within rhe logic of politica l compmmi .. In which work
commu«., .. guhting powcr. The p rohl.m i. that the "oom mov<m<nt
ha. nothing to put", th o p l.ce of pr.xi •. It can't im.gin. a proe<" of
commution of ""orld .nd .. If which i. not centroo around work.
Th. only .ltem,tlve it h.. been .hle to im . gine i. th .. of employment.
The pa ... ge from wo rk to <mployment i •• nother .... d chapter in t he
d«line of the h oour mowment. If work be<:ame the centrepiece of the
d,sc,plinary ><""ct ' .... the t ime of thm nh.u<tion (Ford"m), employ.
ment comtitu ... one of the prmcipal form. of ,"!;Ubtion in the .ocieti..
of control,

Reference,
o.ku", G_ (1 ~ U I . f". '~N It. r,,,,,
M,"u ~ _
I>'ku". G _ (I ~'IO!. 'Po>!.",';",,,", . u, ... "" .. ,,' ok "",,,,,,1.' on P'''''1'"''t.-.,. r.,i"
Mi nu"_
0.1."". G_ 11 ~~S l. ·jmm' ...... ' """ ,"<' , PbJ"'"ph". 41
t'oo<,uk, M_ (20031.1.., r""" .. p'y/''''''q''', r .. " , ('.. ll< m",II><", 1
I.",,,,,,,,,.M_ 1199!), 1';J,ufJ,,>Oji... Rom., M,m',"ol< o.,
bZL"''''. M, 110041, I"" ,,,,,J.,,,,,,,
d. <"p""iu""" r., i" I... Emr<''''"'' J.
P'"'" <n moo iL< 'i<" d
.\I.,!\"I~_ L ,00 S'~n . [) , (1001 1. L·U.ro", ..,,,,,,.1.
r .,i" ><",1.
T.,<k. G_ 1 1S~.lI. Ella" "",;J..nl<" "",,,"oS"!"" . Lwo , ,,"nk_
T"J.. G_I ! n~l. ['0/""",,, '" I. ","I., r .,;" P""". Un"",,,.. ,,,, do, F,.,.,,_
Tmk . G_ II~'N,' . I... L"" ""co,,)'" P.,;" >""h<l, o<,_
T.,,k. G. 12000'" F,"S"".' J 'h,,,,,,,, {.'.">Pm" ."'~u;."
T.,<k. G (10031. I.., T,"",r,,,,,,",,,,,,,, P'''''''''.
Ju p"", t " Emr>«"'u" d< P'''''''
on n",.!/L, 5<ud_

Note,
Ed;,";,l not" Th" <h, ~ '", 'PF"'" in M_ l.ozz",,,, (lOO4I. I... Rh''".,,,,,,,
d. «'p""'u,,,,_T""I.e«l "r Ak,, ~ V"""," ,nd J uu ; V.lum.k, ' ' ' ''''" "r
Alb.rto T".., n"
I 0", m uld ,n" " r 'diI",,,,",,,,,",,,' (J,/fi,m"",,,unl l-.ku L.,,,,,, of, doff... "_
, .. II '" ~""''' ,'" ,mpl",,,"', of ' h< ",-" o.m"i,, 1 m,><I<1 of ,''' mli"i",,",,,1
" k ulu , _
1 Th< d iff=n« on P'''p«I''~ ""Wtt" t'""", uk ,00 [)d<u« ,~."d",~ ,h, """'"'
."J <flit",), of " po",.,,, n d", to ,'" p,im-K)' ' hot [I<ku". unl ik, t',,,,,,,ul,.
KC<Kd , '" 'h< .. " mM,S", u{ J.,,,, om ,h" "" mbi"ll" 01 F""'''''-
4 I"'","u",d '" 'P""_'' ''ptum .m b
I To uoo. " ,,,,d ,Iu,
",,",i,
<k ,ontn''''·. '" 0. 1,"" 1~90 _
"",,",p.rn. W< n< ~ "" ,'- ,,,,,d '" k""-..' Ih,, '" A, i >,,~k "OW
I '~ "0 .. ,1 m"n,' h" ~ ,p.- r'" of ,,,, mul. ,'" 'n,, 'I«,. but ,I>"
,luI"" ,'"
n..,,, "I 0" in"",'" "ni« 1"''''.0,,_