---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What makes power hold good, what makes it…"
description: "\"What makes power hold good, what makes it accepted, is simply the fact that it doesn't only weigh on us as a force that says no, but that it traverses ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/michel-foucault-1134_accepted_what-makes-power-hold-good-what-makes-it_37114.jpg"
---

#  What makes power hold good, what makes it accepted, is…

![“What makes power hold good, what makes it accepted, is simply the fact that it doesn't only weigh on us as a force that says no, but that it traverses and produces things, it induces pleasure, forms knowledge, produces discourse. It needs to be considered as a productive network which runs through…” quote by Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/michel-foucault-1134_accepted_what-makes-power-hold-good-what-makes-it_37114.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/michel-foucault-1134_accepted_what-makes-power-hold-good-what-makes-it_37114.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/michel-foucault-1134_accepted_what-makes-power-hold-good-what-makes-it_37114.jpg)

> “What makes power hold good, what makes it accepted, is simply the fact that it doesn't only weigh on us as a force that says no, but that it traverses and produces things, it induces pleasure, forms knowledge, produces discourse. It needs to be considered as a productive network which runs through the whole social body, much more than as a negative instance whose function is repression”

[Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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.

Power is not merely coercive; it actively shapes society by generating knowledge, pleasure, and discourse, functioning as a pervasive productive network.

**In simple terms:** Power is a productive social force.

Key Takeaway

Power creates and circulates meaning.

Themes

Power dynamics Social production Knowledge formation Pleasure theory Discourse analysis

Mood

Analytical Critical Reflective

Type

Philosophical Sociological

When to use this quote

- Analyzing institutional policies
- Designing community programs
- Studying media influence
- Evaluating organizational culture

Key Concepts

Power as network Productive relations Social body Repression vs. creation

Practical Applications

- Policy design that leverages power's productive aspects
- Critical media literacy training

Questions to Reflect On

- How does power shape what we consider knowledge?
- In what ways can power be harnessed for positive social change?

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[Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Discourse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discourse/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Repression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repression/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/)

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