Abstract: After the 1970s, Foucault gradually developed a new theory of power that differed from the previous one based on the "repressive hypothesis." This new theory emphasises the productive and positive character of power, strongly reflecting Foucault's distinctive perspective. However, it is evident that Canguilhem's influence on Foucault can be discerned through the key term "norm" in Foucault's writing from this period.
It is widely acknowledged that Foucault recognized that modern societies not only rely on sovereign powers that rule through law but also hinge upon other forms of power that govern through norms. Despite nuances in their respective usages, Canguilhem's concept of "norm" as an immanent and positive form of life provided Foucault with the conceptual tool to characterize these modern forms of power governing through norms from a positive perspective. This characterization included both the disciplinary power over individuals and the biopower over populations, manifesting through active and positive selection and cultivation of specific values. While repressive effects were possible in this process, they were fundamentally of secondary importance.
Furthermore, as Foucault constructed the normative foundations and value judgments in his own theory of power, there was a continued resonance with Canguilhem's theory of normativity. Just as Canguilhem's "norm of norms" for judging the strengths and weaknesses of normativity was the functional criterion of whether normativity could continue to produce norms, Foucault's normative judgment rested on the functional judgment of whether power relations could remain fluid.

Key words: Foucault, Canguilhem, norm, normalization, power