Abstract: Modern state, a trace of its trajectory reveals, evolves from a power that nurtures life to one that constrains it. Existing research overlooks the political-economic roots of this shift: this paradox stems from the dominance of capitalist reproduction over the modern state. Driven by capitalist reproduction, the state optimizes life for seizing advantages within the global system, while individual lives respond in pursuit of survival and development. Within this mutual constitution, the biopolitics of the modern state emerges. However, once life and politics are imbued with the economic significance of capitalist reproduction, the biopolitics of the modern state inevitably falls into paradox. In terms of the realities of capitalist globalization, we conclude that developed nations continually scale competitive heights while developing nations pursue catch-up growth in this race to the bottom, and their biopolitics produces forces that target to themselves. Thus, unraveling the paradox of modern state biopolitics requires delving into the essence of capitalist reproduction, and resolving this paradox necessitates transcending capitalist reproduction itself.

Key words: modern state, biopolitics, capitalist reproduction