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Government is defined as a right manner of disposing…

“Government is defined as a right manner of disposing things so as to lead not to the form of the common good, as the jurists' texts would have said, but to an end which is 'convenient' for each of the things that are to governed. This implies a plurality of specific aims: for instance, government…” quote by Michel Foucault
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““Government is defined as a right manner of disposing things so as to lead not to the form of the common good, as the jurists' texts would have said, but to an end which is 'convenient' for each of the things that are to governed. This implies a plurality of specific aims: for instance, government will have t ensure that the greatest possible quantity of wealth is produced, that the people are provided with sufficient means of subsistence, that the population in enabled to multiply, etc. There is a whole series of specific finalities, then, which become the objective of government as such. In order to achieve these various finalities, things be disposed - and this term, [i] dispose [/i], is important because with sovereignity the instrument that allowed it to achieve its aim - that is to say, obedience to the laws - was the law itself; law and sovereignity were absolutely inseparable.””

Michel Foucault

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Government seeks to manage resources and populations, balancing multiple goals like wealth, welfare, and growth, but often prioritizes convenience over the common good.

In simple terms: Governments juggle many aims, sometimes favoring ease over public benefit.

Key Takeaway

Critically assess policy motives and outcomes.

Themes

politics economics public policy

Mood

skeptical analytical

Type

philosophical critical

When to use this quote

  • budget planning
  • social welfare programs
  • population control
  • economic development

Key Concepts

Power dynamics governance utilitarianism

Questions to Reflect On

  • What hidden interests influence policy decisions?
  • How can citizens hold governments accountable?
A Different Perspective

Complex goals can conflict, leading to trade‑offs and unintended consequences.

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