And it is no accident that his critique focuses on the question of the absolute (French) monarchy’s invention of the modern “class” state, for this thesis was a point of honor for both historical and philosophical Marxism (including for Althusser to whom I will return).
In the first stage (1971-1972), Foucault gives us a critique of the “Marxist” theory of the state (or what was discussed under this name). Needless to say, this reckoning was predicated upon contemporaneous debates, and was in a sense arbitrated by the youths of my own generation-Maoists he rubbed shoulders with particularly within the GIP, and others as well. Nonetheless, I will say-although I recognize that it is a somewhat impressionistic hypothesis-that upon reading Foucault’s lectures on “Society Must Be Defended,” The Punitive Society, and now these, Penal Theories and Institutions in the order of their publication, that is, in reverse chronological order (1997, 2013, and 2015), I get the sense that Foucault proceeded in three stages to a great settling of scores with Marxism. But while these notes contain only dry “theses” and supporting documents, I am convinced that Foucault went into much more detail orally it is clear from his other lectures that he relied a great deal on oral elaboration.
Of course, it is somewhat unfortunate that these published lectures, like the first series, are entirely made up of preparatory notes. Naturally, I cannot claim that I am absolutely objective, nor that my memory is utterly reliable, but I hope that you will read what I write with benevolence and discernment. By way of preparation for the second seminar, I would like to make a few remarks on the trace of Althusser in these lectures, Penal Theories and Institutions (1971-1972).
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