On the Limitations of Michel Foucault’s Genealogy of Neoliberalism

Auteurs-es

DOI :

https://doi.org/10.5195/jffp.2023.1033

Mots-clés :

Foucault, Neoliberalism, Genealogy, Immanent Critique, Governmentality

Résumé

Michel Foucault's genealogy of neoliberalism in Naissance de la biopolitique is surprisingly lacking in critical acumen vis-à-vis neoliberal rationality. Several interpretations explain Foucault's appreciative tone by hypothesising about Foucault's supposed conversion to neoliberalism. In this article, I argue that the problem lies not in Foucault's personal politics but in a disappointing application of the genealogical method. Compared to previous works, Foucault's lectures on neoliberalism focus exclusively on neoliberalism's self-presentation by the likes of Hayek, Becker, and Friedman. It does not explore the subjective effects of neoliberalism on the governed, which would have been impossible for Foucault in 1979. I argue that, by taking into consideration the negative effects of actually-existing neoliberalism, one reveals an immanent critique of neoliberalism at the heart of genealogy.  Neoliberalism promises a post-disciplinary order conducive to subjective freedom, but actually requires subjects to adapt to the discipline of free market competition.

Biographie de l'auteur-e

Tim Christiaens, Tilburg University

Assistant Professor of Philosophy

Department of Philosophy (TSHD)

Tilburg University (Netherlands)

Téléchargements

Publié-e

2024-04-12

Numéro

Vol. 31 No. 1/2 (2023)

Rubrique

Articles

Licence

(c) Tous droits réservés Tim Christiaens 2024

Licence Creative Commons

Cette œuvre est sous licence Creative Commons Attribution - Pas d'Utilisation Commerciale - Pas de Modification 4.0 International.


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