Philosophy
The Concept of Biopower in Foucault's Later Lectures
Quick fact
Foucault argued that biopower emerged in the 17th-18th centuries, shifting power's focus from the sovereign's right to take life (or let live) to a power that fosters life and regulates populations through birth rates, health, and mortality.
Why this is interesting
When did governments start worrying about the health of their populations as a whole? The answer reveals a quiet revolution in how power works.