Foucault's Conception Of Power

For centuries, China has maintained its power and influence by enforcing the system of Feudalism. However, industrial developments, globalization, and exchange of political thought have forced China to reconsider its administration. Historically, China has gone through multiple transitions — through hierarchal feudal state, communist municipal and disciplinary regime. There is one notable unchanging, and static fact— that throughout these platforms, China was never ruled collectively (even through the communist era) and has always been dictatorial. Many notable people from China argue that China as a sovereign state has to stay at its current regime— if the government structure changes, than the whole system will fall apart. In essence, they …show more content…
This transformation, argued by Foucault, claims that as a sovereign power, China needs to gradually adjust their way of governance, to keep up with the multitude’s desire. This gradual change could be beneficial for both the government and the citizens, but because China has been at a dictorial state for so long, the absence of absolute power is feared. China does not want any movement that could be perceived as a challenge to their authority, nor does it want democracy campaigns to influence the mind of the …show more content…
Target and Partner can be explained through the relationship of disciplinary power and the individual. The rationale is that “You,” implying “the individual,” are the target that disciplinary power chooses to fix, but you are also in the way of becoming reproduced and reinforced within the disciplinary framework. You are produced as a subject; however, you are unknowingly and subconsciously agreeing to re-produce the power structure. You are part of the process (an active part) in recreating disciplinary power. In Hong Kong, the masses that are being “reproduced and reinforced” are the people that are economically driven. In order to maintain financial prosperity many business driven communities refuse to participate in the fight for democracy because they do not want to anger the capital (Beijing). However, without full participation of the multitude, it will decrease the overall affect. Many protestors realize that their fight will end with no particular result (cite), however they are still willing to cooperate to fight for a reform. On the contrary, these Business driven communities are forfeiting their power to the capital, hence recreating and reinforcing the dominant