Post #7
Biopolitics with the Coronavirus
Biopolitics is a very new and upcoming way that governments are utilizing in order to increase their control over people. “Biopolitics has become a key concept in critical discourses of security governance in the last two decades. Deriving from the work of Foucault, at the heart of biopolitical thought is the relationship of politics to life as both the basis of governance and as an object to be secured” (Visit Article Here!). In other words, governments think it their right to ensure good health and will make decisions and rules based on that. This sounds like it would be something beneficial, and at many extents, it most likely would be. However, it does limit a lot of peoples’ freedoms and liberties, especially when they are mandatory.
In regards to biopolitics, it is an easy way for authority to control people by using a problem that we all can relate to: life. We all as humans want to survive and thrive, and when that is in danger, we seem to let the “experts” take control. An excellent example of this is a virus. We do not know how to create a vaccine in our basement; it’s too complicated and takes a long time. So, when a new virus comes out, we tend to wait for the pharmaceutical companies to develop a vaccine that we will intake to protect us. We tend not to ask many questions because we were told it is supposed to help our life expectancy. With other issues that do not directly threaten our life, we take more time to examine all possible outcomes and solutions. This is not saying we do not care, rather we trust the people to understand the things we do not.
“It appears that liberal rights and freedoms are a threat to public security. The public are, in fact, the problem: they panic buy, depriving the vulnerable of essentials from toiletries, to food and medicine; they socialize; they party; they travel; they put others and themselves at risk.”
David Chandler (University of Westminster, Visit Article Here!)
Let’s use the example of the Coronavirus. In order to keep us all safe, we moved our whole lives to home in order to slow the spread. This makes sense, and most people did not argue the fact that this should happen when it first happened. No one wanted to get sick, so keeping a distance was the best way to do that. Businesses that were considered “essential” were allowed to stay open for necessities, while “unessential” businesses were closed. However, this is where the biopolitical problems start to arise. Some people may consider some things essential will others do not, and the problem is that they really do not get a say. The governors and people in higher powers are the ones that get the final say in what is and is not essential.
Many states considered things like convenience and liquor stores essential, but not places of worship like Mosques or Churches. This is a very rough territory, especially in America, in regards to the first amendment. Now even if convenience and liquor stores were closed, problems would still arise because of people feeling their freedom of religion is being taken away. Nevertheless, when these stores are open over places of worship, it makes it seem like they are more important that of church services. People, in the beginning, were denied church services altogether, but things like “drive-thru church services” are becoming available (Visit Time.com!). These governments are using a biological issue in order to implement political actions, which is the whole premise of biopolitics.
This virus complicates politics more than they already are. People are all living in fear that they could still contract the virus, so many people do not think twice about some of the political actions happening around us. It is essential to stay safe, but also to stay informed. We must realize that we all need to take precautions to keep the ones safe that are at potential risk, but we cannot shut down the world. Things like famine, abandonment, and poverty can all put people in situations just as bad. People rely on jobs and an income to support themselves and their family. It is crucial to stay safe, but also keep in consideration all people and how this affects people in different ways.
South America 