Philo 11.05 - Frantz Fanon.pdf

11 - The Wretched of The Earth | Frantz Fanon “...the tragedy is that the very poor are reduced to violence because there is no other response possible to an absolute absence of response and absolute exercise of legitimized violence…” “...the poorest of the poor, mobilized into violence by sovereign...

11 - The Wretched of The Earth | Frantz Fanon “...the tragedy is that the very poor are reduced to violence because there is no other response possible to an absolute absence of response and absolute exercise of legitimized violence…” “...the poorest of the poor, mobilized into violence by sovereign leaders - cannon fodder. This practice goes in all armies, all resistance movements, in the name of nation and religion.” How is colonialism violence in its natural state? What does it mean when you say that it yields when confronted with greater violence. INEQUALITY To colonize, force and violence must be used. Force brings order in the disorder born from colonization. Decolonization, that is the opposition to colonization uses violence to a degree that will not stop unless the settler has gone completely - a greater violence. But it does not reverse the disorder, it merely makes it the status quo. "The Wretched of the Earth" by Frantz Fanon is a thought-provoking exploration of decolonization and the power dynamics between the colonizer and the colonized. The text delves into the complexities of the colonial world, emphasizing the compartmentalization and Manichaean nature of the society, as well as the constant state of tension experienced by the colonized subject. Fanon discusses the impact of violence in the decolonization process, highlighting the necessity of a decisive confrontation to dislocate the colonial world and establish a new order. He also addresses the role of the colonized intellectual, their assimilation of colonialist thinking, and their subsequent disconnection from the people during the liberation struggle. The text emphasizes the historical process of decolonization, the encounter between antagonistic forces, and the necessity to challenge the colonial situation. Fanon also discusses the stubborn, apparently limited, narrow-minded aspect of the people, which he argues is the most rewarding and effective working model. He highlights the importance of truth for the people, emphasizing that only fellow nationals are owed the absolute truth, and that truth is what hastens the eradication of the colonial regime and fosters the emergence of the nation. Furthermore, Fanon sheds light on the dehumanization of the colonized subject by the colonist, emphasizing the portrayal of the colonized as devoid of values and representing absolute evil. He also addresses the internal conflicts and internecine feuds among the colonized, which serve as a release for muscular tension and a distraction from the inevitable armed struggle against colonialism. 1. Compartmentalization and Manichaean World: The text discusses the compartmentalized nature of the colonial world, where the colonized and colonizer exist in separate spheres. This division is not only physical but also extends to the values and beliefs held by each group. The Manichaean world refers to the portrayal of the colonized as devoid of values and representing absolute evil, perpetuating a dehumanizing narrative. A fundamentally different world. White & black, civilized and uncivilized. 2. Role of the Colonized Intellectual: The text delves into the role of the colonized intellectual, their assimilation of colonialist thinking, and their subsequent disconnection from the people during the liberation struggle. It highlights the clash between the values imposed by the colonizer and the collective consciousness of the colonized people. 3. Violence and Decolonization: Fanon emphasizes the impact of violence in the decolonization process, highlighting the necessity of a decisive confrontation to dislocate the colonial world and establish a new order. It is a natural cataclysm if the colonized takes it for themselves. The text also explores the internal conflicts and internecine feuds among the colonized, which serve as a release for muscular tension and a distraction from the inevitable armed struggle against colonialism. The colonized asserts themselves as equal or more than the colonizers. The last shall be the first. 4. Truth and Collective Consciousness: The concept of truth is explored, emphasizing that only fellow nationals are owed the absolute truth. The text discusses the importance of collective consciousness and the challenges faced by the colonized intellectual in aligning with the people's aspirations during the liberation struggle. 5. Economic and Social Disparities: The text addresses the economic reality, inequality, and enormous disparities in lifestyles within the colonial context, highlighting the division between the colonized and the colonizer based on race and economic status. Notes: Colonialism = Thingification (Chosification) It reduced the human being down to an animal or object. The relationship between colonizer and colonized is that of human-thing. The colonizer fabricates the colonized dictating who and what they are. Colonialism is Marked by Violence The contract that binds them is that of violence. There is no such thing as rational discussion. It is simply imposition - displacing the native from their own homeland and creates psychological injury. An inferiority complex. It is a black and white world in this Manichaean State. It is a fantasy and dream for the colonized to overstep their boundaries. They are muscular dreams - jumping, swimming, running, and climbing. Violence detoxifies. It rids the colonized of their inferiority complex, of their passive and despairing attitude. It emboldens them, and restores their self-confidence. Violence is harmful to the colonizer and the colonized. Eventually necessary because non-violence is not an option (because the colonized is always guilty and does not have the bargaining chip) but debilitating nonetheless. You cannot reason with colonialism. The Big Question: Is Fanon proposing that the end justifies the means? Does the means of violence justify the end of freedom? Violence only perpetuates the cycle of aggression and only serves to maintain the colonial system (tyrants at home rather than tyrants overseas).