FOUCAULT- POWER AND AUTHORITY

Michel Foucault was a philosopher and twentieth century thinker. His work qualifies for interdisciplinary study as it has been found relevant to fields as different as Art, Philosophy, History, Anthropology, Geography, Archaeology, Communication Studies, etc.

Foucault's theory states that knowledge is power. knowledge linked to power, not only assumes the authority of 'the truth' but has the power to make itself true.

For Foucault, Power and Knowledge are not seen as independent entities but are inextricably related - knowledge is always an exercise of power and power always a function of knowledge.

According to Foucault knowledge should transform a person. 

Foucault believed that neither knowledge nor power is a commodity – these cannot be owned and used whenever one feels like. According to him power was not concentrated in fixed entities like the state or the ruling classes. He argued that power or authority was exercised by everyone at all levels. He saw knowledge and power as complementary and explained it by referring to doctors and patients. A doctor has power over his patient because of the knowledge he has acquired about illnesses and their treatments.

Foucault does not believe in typifying power nor does he think that there can be only one institution that can have authority concentrated in it. He believes power and authority are exercised by all and sundry which goes against the grain of Marxist and other conflict theories. He interprets power in terms of political struggle characterized by cultural identity and not economic status