Foucault is often thought to have a great deal to say about the history of madness and sexuality, but little in terms of a general analysis of government and the state. This volume draws on Foucault’s own research to challenge this view, demonstrating the central importance of his work for the study of contemporary politics. It focuses on liberalism and neo-liberalism, questioning the conceptual opposition of freedom/constraint, state/market and public/private that inform liberal thought.