Biomoc a "medikalizace" společnosti jako rysy "modernity"

Abstract

This paper will discuss the strategies of the health police of Enlightenment era in Bohemia and in Czech lands that aimed to protect health as “Gemeinwohl“ - Public Good, Common Good. First will be highlighted general, pervasive nature of health and policing strategies in general, then focus on two examples (which can be used as models of preventive measures against the spread of such exposure and diseases that manifest themselves clearly and necessarily “egalitarian“ character, which only ensures their real efficiency: first, on the reform of funeral services and modalities, then and the introduction of vaccination. However, while some of the “egalitarian“ Regulation of funeral encountered a generalor partial resistance (burials in bags in order to accelerate decomposition, replacement of individual family tombs, graves, tombstones ban on placing a flat “recycling“ graves after 9-10 years,etc.) gradual introduction of general vaccination (apparently due to the more immediate threat of fatal disease) was despite initial misgivings and mistrust basically successful. The strategies of bio-power and medicalization are, finally, demonstrated in a detail on the the phaenomenon of the „birth of the birth clinic“ (and, more generally, the professionalization of obstetrics in 18th century), that could be considered as example par excellence. In conclusion, it should be emphasized that it was police-bureaucratic character of the Austrian state and its control mechanisms significantly helped to promote new health and hygiene rules and health-disciplining mechanisms, which undoubtedly contributed to the gradual improvement of the level of health in our country.