试析福柯生命权力中的人口概念

On the Analysis of the Concept of Population in Foucault's Theory of Biopower

福柯政治哲学视权力为一种历经复杂谱系,以真理为支撑条件的动态机制。生命权力是福柯关于西方现代权力机制分析的重要内容,就其诞生的谱系而言,它是权力机制由18世纪西方社会传统统治权模式向重农主义治理术转变的结果;而其真理性条件为:人口作为生物学存在的"自然性"。人口"自然性"作为一个具有实体性意义的可分析场域取代了以君主意志和利益为核心的统治权结构。以人口"自然性"治理人口成为生命权力的权力理性。自此权力得以深入干预人口活动,更得以以生物学模式处理人口整体中不同群体之间的矛盾。重新将人口问题置于对权力机制分析的理论框架中,避免由生物学思维模式产生的政治暴力,是福柯权力理论之于当代政治实践的理论价值所在。

Foucault＇s political philosophy views power as a dynamic mechanism which has complicated genealogy and conditioned by truth. Biopower is an important part of Foucault＇s analysis of western modern power mechanism. As to its genealogy, biopower is the consequence of the transform of power mechanism from old sovereignty mode to physiocracy＇ s governmental arts. The naturalness of the population existing in a biological way is the condition of truth that supports biopower mechanism. The naturalness of the population as an analyzable field replaces the sovereignty structure centered on the will of monarch. To govern population based on the naturalness of population become the rationality of biopower. Since then power can intervene the population＇ s activity, and also can manage the conflict between different groups in a biological mode. Placing the population problem in the theoretical framework working on the analysis of power mechanism and avoiding the political violence caused by biological mode of thinking are the theoretical value of Foucauh＇ political philosophy for contemporary political practice.