Armed forces Quote by Gilles Deleuze
““The administrations in charge never cease announcing supposedly necessary reforms: to reform schools, to reform industries, hospitals, the armed forces, prisons. But everyone knows that these institutions are finished, whatever the length of their expiration periods. It’s only a matter of administering their last rites and of keeping people employed until the installation of the new forces knocking at the door. These are the societies of control, which are in the process of replacing the disciplinary societies. ‘Control’ is the name Burroughs proposes as a term for the new monster, one that Foucault recognizes as our immediate future.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Negotiations, Gilles Deleuze, 1995
The quote critiques how societies endlessly announce reforms while their core institutions are already obsolete, indicating a shift from overt discipline to subtler control mechanisms.
In simple terms: Societies claim reform but are actually managing decline, moving toward pervasive control.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and resist superficial reforms that mask systemic decay.
Themes
societal change
control
institutional decay
reform criticism
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
political
sociological
When to use this quote
- public policy analysis
- organizational restructuring
- activist strategy
- media critique
Key Concepts
Foucault's discipline
Burroughs' control
neoliberal governance
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you differentiate genuine reform from control?
- What signs indicate an institution is merely being managed out?
A Different Perspective
Superficial reforms may distract from deeper systemic issues.
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