By which two of the following processes, according to Michel Foucault, does power operate?
(a) By right rather than technique
(b) By normalization rather than law
(c) By control rather than punishment
(d) By repression rather than agreement
Choose the correct option:

Correct option is B

Explanation:

Michel Foucault, a prominent French philosopher and social theorist, revolutionized our understanding of power with his analyses of institutions, social practices, and discourses.

According to Foucault, modern power does not operate through overt domination or legal structures alone, but more subtly and pervasively through normalization and control.

(b) By normalization rather than law: Foucault emphasized that in modern societies, power works through the process of normalization, wherein standards of "normal" behavior, thought, and health are established. Those who deviate from these norms are marginalized, corrected, or disciplined. This mechanism is seen in institutions such as schools, hospitals, and prisons. Unlike legal frameworks, which are visible and codified, normalization is insidious and internalized, shaping how individuals see themselves and others.

(c) By control rather than punishment: In Discipline and Punish (1975), Foucault traces the historical shift from sovereign power (which enacted visible, brutal punishments) to disciplinary power, which aims to monitor and control individuals. This involves surveillance (e.g., the Panopticon), regular examination, and categorization, making power more efficient and omnipresent. The goal is not merely to punish misbehavior but to pre-empt and correct it by managing behavior through surveillance and institutional discipline.

These two mechanisms—normalization and control—form the backbone of biopower and governmentality, terms Foucault used to describe how power operates at the level of populations and individual bodies.

Information Booster:

Foucault argued that power is not just repressive but also productive—it produces knowledge, discourse, and subjectivity.

His concept of biopower refers to the regulation of populations through institutions like medicine, psychiatry, and public health.

In Discipline and Punish, Foucault showed how modern prisons reflect a shift from punitive justice to disciplinary surveillance.

Power operates through networks and institutions, not merely from a central authority.

Normalization becomes a tool of control by establishing what is "acceptable" and marginalizing deviations.

Foucault's work highlights the relationship between knowledge and power — how what we accept as "truth" is often shaped by mechanisms of control.

His ideas influenced a wide range of disciplines including sociology, political science, cultural studies, and education.