The assertion that political power ultimately resides in the ability to dictate who lives and who dies is central to Achille Mbembe's concept of necropolitics. This framework moves beyond Foucault's biopower, which focused on the management of life, to analyze how sovereignty is enacted through the power to kill and allow to die. Necropolitics, therefore, describes a system where the state, or dominant powers, actively shape the conditions of life and death for specific populations, often for economic or political gain. This essay will argue that necropolitics is not merely an abstract theoretical construct but a tangible reality manifested in historical colonial practices, contemporary warfare, and the systemic marginalization of vulnerable groups. By examining instances from the Belgian Congo to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we can see how the devaluation of certain lives becomes a primary tool of governance.
Colonialism provides a stark illustration of necropolitical practices. The Belgian exploitation of the Congo Free State under King Leopold II, for instance, was predicated on the systematic subjugation and brutalization of its inhabitants. The regime's primary objective was resource extraction, and the lives of the Congolese people were deemed expendable in this pursuit. Forced labor, widespread violence, and the deliberate withholding of basic necessities led to millions of deaths, not as an accidental byproduct of governance, but as a calculated strategy to maintain control and maximize profit. Mbembe cites the horrific mutilations, particularly the cutting off of hands, as a physical manifestation of this sovereign power over life and death. The colonizers did not seek to foster life; they sought to exploit it to its absolute limit, rendering populations into a disposable workforce whose demise was a secondary concern, if it was a concern at all. This was a deliberate policy of making certain populations 'die in order to live' – meaning, for the colonizer to live in wealth.
In the 20th and 21st centuries, the logic of necropolitics continues to inform state actions, albeit often under different guises. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict offers a contemporary case study. The ongoing occupation, the imposition of severe movement restrictions, and the disproportionate use of force against Palestinian populations can be understood as the management of a population through the constant threat and application of death. The blockade of Gaza, for example, has created a situation where the population lives under precarious conditions, with access to essential resources like food, water, and medicine severely limited, effectively controlling life by controlling the conditions under which death becomes a highly probable outcome. While not always overt extermination, this calculated precarity and the ongoing, often one-sided, violence illustrate a sovereign power that determines the boundaries of life and death for a subjugated group. The framing of certain populations as inherently dangerous or as a security threat justifies policies that result in high mortality rates, a clear manifestation of necropolitical control.
Furthermore, necropolitics extends beyond direct state violence to encompass the systemic creation of conditions that lead to premature death for marginalized communities. In many urban centers in the Global North, impoverished neighborhoods, often populated by racial or ethnic minorities, experience higher rates of disease, violence, and premature death due to lack of access to healthcare, nutritious food, safe housing, and economic opportunities. This is not simply a failure of social policy; it can be viewed as a form of "thanatopolitics," a more subtle wielding of power where the state, through inaction or the perpetuation of discriminatory structures, allows certain lives to be extinguished or severely curtailed. The concentration of environmental hazards in these communities, leading to higher incidences of asthma and other chronic illnesses, further underscores how political and economic decisions create a landscape where certain lives are systematically devalued and shortened. The lack of investment and the prioritization of other interests demonstrate a governance that permits, if not encourages, a higher mortality rate among specific demographics.
In conclusion, necropolitics provides a critical lens through which to understand how power operates not just by managing life, but by actively determining who is allowed to live and who is destined to die. From the brutal exploitation of colonial empires to the ongoing conflicts and systemic neglect of marginalized communities, the evidence demonstrates that the power to kill and to let die remains a fundamental aspect of sovereignty. Recognizing these necropolitical dynamics is essential for challenging the structures that perpetuate inequality and for advocating for a world where all lives are afforded dignity and the right to exist.