Demography is not just a matter of figures and statistics. In “La Volonté de savoir”, then in his lecture at the Collège de France entitled “Sécurité, Territoire, Population”, the philosopher Michel Foucault develops the idea that it is above all a tool of power. He shows how, in the 18th century, the notion of “population” became a crucial economic and political issue. Governments began to see the population not simply as a people, but as a set of measurable variables: birth rate, death rate, health status, fertility. These data enable strategic management aimed at balancing population growth and available resources. Thus, the population is seen as a collective asset and a workforce essential to the liberal economy.
This development gave rise to what Foucault calls “biopower”: a power that is no longer exercised solely over individuals, but over the population as a whole. Unlike traditional forms of domination, this power acts by influencing the general conditions of life rather than by imposing strict rules.
For example, governments seek to regulate variables such as life expectancy or public health by intervening in environmental or social factors, while leaving a certain amount of individual freedom.
Current debates on population ageing, migration and public health reveal the extent to which demographic policies are still linked to power politics. But the question remains: how can collective management be balanced with respect for individual freedoms?
Behind every figure, every percentage and every statistical curve, there are singular life trajectories that the big tent approach to demography tends to obscure.
To counter the stereotypes that reduce migration to an abstract flow or a problem to be managed, the astounding exhibition “Migrations, a human odyssey”, which is being held at the Musée de l’Homme in Paris until 8 June 2025, favours a sensitive approach.
Starting with an exploration of the words we use – migrant, refugee, undocumented, expatriate, foreigner – the exhibition illustrates the extent to which language shapes our perception of human mobility. These terms, which are sometimes technical or administrative, often mask the diversity of the stories behind them. Rosa, a Syrian engineer who travelled via French Guiana, and Diallo, a Malian who braved the Mediterranean, embody these complex stories. The exhibition links their journeys to those of famous figures such as Maria Casarès and Mélinée Manouchian, reminding us that every migration is both ordinary and extraordinary, marked by unique projects, dreams and challenges.
Ultimately, the population – both object and subject of knowledge and power – reflects the tensions between control and autonomy in our modern societies.
Behind the figures and statistics, political choices and human lives are at stake.
References
– Michel Foucault, “Histoire de la Sexualité. 1. La Volonté de Savoir”, Gallimard, 1976
– Michel Foucault, “Sécurité, Territoire, Population”, Cours au Collège de France 1978, Gallimard/Seuil, 2004
– “Migrations, une odyssée humaine”, exhibition, Musée de l’Homme, Paris, from 27/11/2024 to 08/06/2025
Sophie Chassat – Partner, Accuracy
Accuracy Talks Straight #12 – The cultural corner