A sociedade punitiva em perspectiva neoliberal: engendrar ilegalismos, moralizar as subjetividades e normalizar a exclusão social

Abstract

From the inquiry upon the emergence of the punitive society, as Foucault outlined, the aim of the article is to reflect that neoliberalism can be understood as an extension of the same operations that the economic elites launched to consummate punitive forms of social control. Such forms relapses on the set of subjects considered illegal and unadapted by neoliberalism, demanding constant moralization of their conduct and modeling of their subjectivities. The current punitive society is guided by the normalization of social exclusion, supported by the resurgence of extreme right-wing policies that are convenient and functional to neoliberalism. To this end, the article goes through two movements. In the first, it investigates the conception and updating of the punitive society. Next, it develops the idea concerning how the punitive society can be conceived in the neoliberal perspective. In the end, it charges in the critique of neoliberalism and its demand for planned education, aimed at social subjection.