SOC209H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Bourgeoisie, Human Reproduction, Sexual Repression
We Other Vitorian’s
At the beginning of the 17th century sex was something that was openly discussed. It was a
period where bodies made a display of themselves.
Then came the Victorian regime where sex was only used for fertile reasons and sex became
the subject of silence.
Sterile behavior was considered an abnormality was supposed to remain hidden, if it made
itself visible then it would have to pay the penalty.
Bourgeois society was very repressive towards sex and tried its best to silence it. If it was truly
necessary to make room for these illegitimate sexualities who they call the other Victorians,
then they would send them to brothels, and would pay for sex. This allowed them to keep them
away from society and make money while doing so.
Even in the 19th century, there was little progress being made towards liberation other than
pehaps “igud Feuds illigess to seiousl disuss seual epeiee. During this time it
is believed that repression is the link between power, knowledge, and sexuality ever since
the classical age. Therefore if we want to free ourselves, the only thing that can help us is a
transgression of laws and lifting of prohibitions as the truth is glimmered by politics.
The repressive hypothesis also makes little room for the many new discourses that emerged
over the last two centuries—such as psychoanalysis and sexual pathology—that have equipped
us with entirely new ways to talk about sex. Foucault takes a different approach. He chooses
not to ask why we are repressed, but why we continue to say we are repressed.
I Fouaults ie, the epessie hpothesis is a soiologial aguet. It is ased o the
notion that the repression of sexuality accompanies the rise of an increasingly industrial
bourgeoisie anxious to control and shepherd the expenditure of human energy and human
productivity. As bourgeois society achieves a tighter and tighter control over the life of its
subjects, argues the repressive hypothesis, this society also finds it important to control forms
of productivity beyond the traditional economic domain—including human reproduction. Sex
thus comes under bourgeois repression in part as an aspect of human experience where people
can surrender themselves to unproductive pleasure, and partly as the process by which human
beings reproduce. Society demanded consistent reproduction of its citizens, but according to its
very strict terms. Some people believe we talk about sex so much as we link it to some sort of
political agenda.
Another reason for the importance of looking at the relationship b/w sex and power through
repression is that of the speaker’s enefit. If sex is repressed, than speaking about it appears
as a deliberate transgression. Those who speak of the subject know the potential for
subversion. There is a power in speaking of sex leading to subversion: to do so is an opportunity
to speak out against power and in favour of liberation, enlightenment, pleasure, etc.
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
At the beginning of the 17th century sex was something that was openly discussed. It was a period where bodies made a display of themselves. Then came the victorian regime where sex was only used for fertile reasons and sex became the subject of silence. Sterile behavior was considered an abnormality was supposed to remain hidden, if it made itself visible then it would have to pay the penalty. Bourgeois society was very repressive towards sex and tried its best to silence it. If it was truly necessary to make room for these illegitimate sexualities who they call the other victorians, then they would send them to brothels, and would pay for sex. This allowed them to keep them away from society and make money while doing so. Therefore if we want to free ourselves, the only thing that can help us is a transgression of laws and lifting of prohibitions as the truth is glimmered by politics.
