APSC Mains Enrichment Notes
Political Philosophy
Necropolitics is a concept developed by Cameroonian philosopher Achille Mbembe, first articulated in his 2003 essay and later expanded in his book Necropolitics (2019). It refers to the sovereign power to determine who is allowed to live and who must die. Unlike simple acts of violence, necropolitics encompasses slow violence through neglect, abandonment, and systemic denial of dignity, justice, or care.
It builds upon Michel Foucault’s notion of biopolitics, which focused on how states regulate life, but shifts the emphasis to how states and authorities wield death as a tool of control. Historical examples include the Bengal Famine of 1943, where colonial policies allowed millions to perish despite food availability.
In contemporary contexts, necropolitics is visible in war zones, refugee crises, caste and racial hierarchies, and structural inequalities, where certain populations are rendered disposable. It is a critical lens to study state power, violence, and social injustice.
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