Final Exam Notes

12 MODERNITY AND BEHAVIOUR CONTROL

12.1 CHILDREN OF MODERNITY

The chapter title references Zygmunt Bauman’s pivotal work "Modernity and the Holocaust" (1989), which explores the complex interplay between modernity and the atrocities of the Holocaust.

• First Wave of Analysis: This perspective seeks to understand the Holocaust through the lens of deviant minds, focusing primarily on figures such as Adolf Hitler and the camp guards, implicating individual moral failings and psychological aberrations.

• Second Wave of Analysis: Here, the discourse shifts to a broader examination of deviant social systems and political environments that laid the groundwork for such systemic violence, suggesting that societal structures enabled these atrocities.

• Third Wave of Analysis: This framework posits that the processes of extermination were not mere exceptions but rather logically stemmed from the organization of modern society. Important connections are drawn to:

  • Attributes of Industrial Society: Concepts such as the division of labor, bureaucratic governance, and rationality are conveyed as fundamental features of modernity that contributed to the conditions of the Holocaust.

  • Holocaust as Societal Indicator: Bauman argues that the societal preconditions allowing such horrors to manifest are still present today. He warns that existing measures aimed at preventing recurrence might be critically deficient, pointing to a troubling continuity in societal structures.

12.2 CLOTH OF THE DEVIL

This section delves into the ideological underpinnings of the Nazi regime:

• Hitler’s Ideology: At the core of National Socialism is a fixation on racial purity and the concept of the Volk, which prized a homogeneous German identity, along with the notion of Lebensraum (literally ‘living space’). This ideology justified the expansionist policies and genocidal actions undertaken during the Holocaust.

• Extermination Camps and Industrialization: Extermination camps are portrayed as not merely sites of mass murder but rather products of industrialization, mirroring operational efficiencies seen in contemporary penal institutions. This aligns with the notion that modernity, with its advances and rational systems, can facilitate horrific outcomes.

• Behavior Control and Modernity: The juxtaposition highlights that elements of modernity and democratic governance do not serve as bulwarks against behavior control that echoes past atrocities. The new penology emphasizes strategies focusing on managing aggregate populations rather than aiming for individual rehabilitation, reflecting a troubling shift in policy and thought.

12.3 LIMITS TO GROWTH?

• Prison Expansion: Contrary to common belief, there are no inherent limits to the expansion of prison systems. Historical trends show an over-representation of lower classes within incarceration facilities, suggesting systemic social inequities.

• Economic Upheaval and Class Perception: During economic downturns, societal views often depict certain classes as inherently dangerous, prompting the reinforcement and enhancement of prison systems as mechanisms of social control rather than rehabilitation.

• Media and Political Narratives: The role of media along with politically driven narratives often work in concert to create a climate of fear around crime, motivating societal movements towards stricter control measures and punitive legislation.

12.4 INDUSTRIALIZED KILLING

• Role of German Industry in the Holocaust: The involvement of German industry was crucial in enabling the Holocaust. Companies like I.G. Farben produced vital extermination materials, including Zyklon B, which was instrumental in implementing the mass killings. These industries not only participated in the Holocaust but profited significantly from it.

• Corporate Accountability: In the post-war period, there was limited historical accountability for businesses that facilitated these crimes, with corporate leaders escaping significant repercussions, raising ethical questions about responsibility and complicity in systemic evil.

12.5 MEDICALIZED KILLING

• Professionals in Extermination: Doctors, scientists, and other professionals played instrumental roles in the logistics and implementation of extermination efforts. This operational frame often framed extermination as a necessary treatment, masking acts of murder under the guise of medical and scientific rationality.

• Medical Analogies in Nazi Ideology: The Nazis likened Jews to cancer, promoting an ideology of removal as a public health necessity, showcasing how language and metaphor can subvert moral comprehension.

• Education and Atrocities: The text warns that high levels of education and social progress do not serve as protections against potential atrocities, highlighting the ironic truth that modern advancements can coexist with moral failures.

12.6 LEGALIZED KILLING

• Modern Societal Mirrors: The conditions in contemporary societies can eerily reflect those that enabled the Holocaust, with rising economic disparities and burgeoning scientific ideologies surrounding crime and punishment.

• Shift in Justice Systems: The judicial landscape has transformed from a focus on restorative justice principles to punitive frameworks. This transformation indicates a concerning trend where justice systems adapt to political will and majoritarian sentiments, raising alarms over the erosion of ethics and moral standards in governance and law.