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Panopticism is a social theory originally developed by French philosopher Michel Foucault in his book, Discipline and Punish.

BACKGROUND & TERMINOLOGY
A Panopticon is a circular building with an observation tower in the center in an open space surrounded by an outer wall made up of cells for the incarceration of mental patients or convicts. The purpose of the design is to increase the security through the effectiveness of the surveillance. Placed in a cell, inmates cannot see each other through the concrete walls and their cells are flooded with light so that everything they do can be observed by the central tower. Foucault explains an additional function of the central tower in his book, the "Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison," "We have seen that anyone may come and exercise in the central tower the functions of surveillance, and that this being the case, he can gain a clear idea of the way the surveillance is practiced." In this way, with the inclusion of the public and non-institutional members, the disciplinary mechanism of observation is decentered, which has the effect of increasing the efficacy of the disciplinary mechanism.

Panopticism in Discipline and Punish
In Discipline and Punish, Foucault builds on the idea of a panopticon as conceptualized by Jeremy Bentham, and elaborates upon the function of disciplinary mechanisms in the prison and in everyday society, as to illustrate the function of discipline as an apparatus of power. Although this style of architecture could be used for various institutions such as schools, factories and the like, Bentham specifically uses a prison as an example: it is a building with a tower in the center, from which all the surrounding cells are visible. The inside of the tower, though, cannot be seen. It individualizes and leaves them constantly visible; never knowing when they are being observed. The occupant is always “the object of information, never a subject in communication.”

"'He who is subjected to a field of visibility, and who knows it, assumes responsibility for the constraints of power; he makes them play spontaneously upon himself; he inscribes in himself the power relation in which he simultaneously plays both roles; he becomes the principle of his own subjection' (202-203)."

This type of design can be used for any population that needs to be kept under observation, such as: prisoners, schoolchildren, medical patients or workers. "“If the inmates are convicts, there is no danger of a plot, an attempt at collective escape, the planning of new crimes for the future, bad reciprocal influences; if they are patients, there is no danger of contagion; if they are madmen there is no risk of their committing violence upon one another; if they are schoolchildren, there is no copying, no noise, no chatter, no waste of time; if they are workers, there are no disorders, no theft, no coalitions, none of those distractions that slow down the rate of work, make it less perfect or cause accidents.”" By individualizing the subjects and putting them in a state of constant visibility, the efficiency of the institution is maximized. Furthermore, it guarantees the function of power, even when there is no one actually asserting it. It is in this respect that the Panopticon functions automatically. Foucault goes on to explain that this design is also applicable for a laboratory. Its mechanisms of individualization and observation give it the capacity to run many experiments simultaneously. These qualities also give an authoritative figure the “ability to penetrate men’s behavior” without difficulty. This is all made possible through the architectural ingenuity. In light of this fact Foucault compares jails, schools and factories in their structural similarities.

Examples in Modern Society
A central idea to Foucault’s Panopticism is the systematic ordering and controlling of human populations through subtle and often unseen forces. This is apparent in many parts of the modernized world. Modern advances in technology and surveillance techniques have made Foucault’s theories all the more pertinent to any scrutiny of the relationship between the state and its population.

Increased surveillance cameras have the effect of reminding us however, of the little use of "panoptic" mechanisms on the part of liberal democracies. It could also be argued that increased surveillance technologies are unnecessary in the face of disciplinary mechanisms as illustrated by Foucault's Panopticism. Foucault argues that Jeremy Bentham's Panopticon provides us with a model in which a self-disciplined society has been able to develop. These apparatuses of behavior control are essential if we are to govern ourselves, without the constant surveillance and intervention by an agency in every aspect of our lives. The Canadian historian Robert Gellately argued that because of the widespread willingness of Germans to inform on each other to the Gestapo that Germany between 1933-45 was a prime example of Panopticism.

In one of the “Eyes of New York” ads introduced by MTA, close up photographs of several different sets of eyes are juxtaposed while underneath reads in bold print, “There are 16 million eyes in the city. We’re counting on all of them.” This a continuation of the “If You See Something, Say Something” concept first launched in March 1993. MTA Director of Security William A. Morange says, “It is impossible for the police departments to be everywhere and see everything. Our passengers extend our reach and-by sharing their information-make the system safer."

If discursive mechanisms can control and modify the body of discussion within a certain space (to the benefit of a certain class/the government/security), then there no longer remains the point of having an active agent in order to keep the same power using the threat of violence.