more from Michel Foucault

Single Idea 15039

[catalogued under 25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 5. Education / d. Study of history]

Full Idea

History has no 'meaning', but it is not absurd or incoherent. On the contrary, it is intelligible and should be susceptible of analysis down to the smallest detail - but this in accordance with the intelligibility of struggles, of strategies and tactics.

Gist of Idea

History lacks 'meaning', but it can be analysed in terms of its struggles

Source

Michel Foucault (Truth and Power (interview) [1976], p.116)

Book Reference

Foucault,Michel: 'Essential Works 1954-1984 3: Power', ed/tr. Faubion,J [Penguin 2002], p.116


A Reaction

I take this to be an essentially Marxist view, in which one teases out the dialectical processes of any period. I can't think of a better way to approach history. The alternative is to only recount one side of the struggle, which must be bad history.