Though the Panopticon is a plan for the construction of an actual prison, complete with detailed building plans, the foundation is actually the relationship between the watcher and the watched. It is the psychology of surveillance which makes the Panopticon possible. All the inmates are made to feel that they are being watched at all times, at any time. This is what will shape their behaviour.
Another theme which appears in the history of social control and privacy is efficiency. Bentham feels this is a major selling point of his design.
You can read the entire text at http://cartome.org/panopticon2.htm
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