Intellectuals & Power: A conversation between Michel Foucault and Gilles Deleuze

It was especially interesting to follow the discussion of Foucault and Deleuze with their up-to-date problem in hand. Their discussion brings Intellectuals and power on the scene, contradicted and faced in multiple aspects through society and politics. 

Foucault and Deleuze both agree that the meanings of theory and intelligents have drastically changed to meet the needs of the society (pp.1-6). The discussion starts with the relationship between theory and practice, where in creation of knowledge all theories have to pass certain  obstacles, and practices are needed to confront the obstacles. (Deleuze p. 1). In Deleuze's words there is a system within a multiplicity of parts that are both theoretical and practical. Within that the meaning of theorizing intellectual changes, he is no longer a representing or representative consciousness but becomes multiplicity (Deleuze p.1). Foucault brings this same intellectual to face the politics. Where the power and politics come in, intellectuals have contradicting roles: one is producing or imposing the recognized ideology and other is revealing the partial truth, the latter one slowly rejected by the authorities (Foucault pp.1-2). This is where the turning point comes; masses do not need intellectuals any more, they have access to knowledge, they can know and express themselves and in such system intellectuals become the agents of the system of power (Foucault p. 2). This in turn is where the nature of theory comes out and therefore intellectuals role is to oppose the power (p.2) that turns him into his "object and instrument in the sphere of "knowledge", "truth", "consciousness" and "discourse"" (p.2 ). Therefore theory becomes the struggle aimed at revealing and undermining the power (Foucault p. 2). In Deleuze's addition "theory is  enmeshed in a particular point, we realise that it will never possess the slightest practical importance unless it can erupt in a totally different area" (cit. Deleuze p.2). Theory is an instrument for multiplication (p.2) and reality is what actually happens not the information carried and imposed by the power (Deleuze p. 4). They reach to the conclusion that "relationship between desire, power and interest is more complex" (p. 5) and there are always struggles as to whose interests will be in execution. And every revolutionary act is this way linked to the "workers'struggle" (p.6).

In my opinion this discussion clearly illustrates the significance and formation of the collective knowledge and accounts for the credibility of theories today. Many aspects of the discussion draw examples from various social problems and it again shows that everything is interrelated. For finding the truth one has to look far beyond the facts and revelations considering the suggested lines of power.