1. The Role of Violence in Colonialism with Reference to The Wretched of the Earth Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth is a searing critique of colonialism, and one of its most provocative claims is that violence is not just a consequence of colonialism—it is its very foundation. Fanon argues that colonialism is inherently violent, both in its physical domination and psychological subjugation of the colonized. He writes, “Decolonization is always a violent phenomenon”. This statement is not a glorification of violence, but a recognition of its inevitability in the colonial context.
Colonialism as Structural Violence
Colonialism is not merely about political control; it is a system that dehumanizes the colonized. Fanon describes the colonial world as a “Manichaean” structure—divided into two zones: the colonizer and the colonized. The colonizer lives in a zone of privilege, while the colonized are confined to a zone of exclusion, poverty, and humiliation. This division is maintained through systemic violence—military force, police brutality, and economic exploitation.
For example, in British India, the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, where British troops killed hundreds of peaceful protesters, exemplifies how violence was used to suppress dissent and maintain control. Similarly, in Algeria, where Fanon worked as a psychiatrist during the war of independence, the French colonial regime used torture and mass killings to crush the liberation movement.
Psychological Violence and Mental Health
Fanon, as a psychiatrist, also explores the psychological impact of colonial violence. He shows how the colonized internalize inferiority, leading to mental disorders and identity crises. This psychological violence is as destructive as physical violence. In his clinical work, Fanon treated Algerian patients traumatized by torture and oppression, revealing how colonialism damages the psyche.
Violence as a Path to Liberation
Fanon controversially argues that violence is necessary for decolonization. He sees it as a cleansing force that restores dignity and agency to the oppressed. “The colonized man finds his freedom in and through violence,” he writes. This doesn’t mean violence is morally good, but that it is historically inevitable when people rise against deeply entrenched systems of domination.
My View
As a student deeply engaged with postcolonial literature, I believe Fanon’s emphasis on violence is not a call to arms but a call to understand the depth of colonial trauma. In Gujarati poetry, such as Bharat Mehta’s verses, we see echoes of this pain—where silence and suffering speak louder than swords. Violence, in Fanon’s view, is the language of the unheard, and while I personally advocate for peaceful resistance, I understand why Fanon saw no other way in the colonial context.
2. What Does Fanon Mean When He Says “The Infrastructure is Also a Superstructure” in Colonialism?
This statement by Fanon challenges the classical Marxist distinction between infrastructure (economic base) and superstructure (culture, ideology, institutions). In colonial societies, Fanon argues, this separation collapses. The economic exploitation (infrastructure) is directly tied to racial and cultural domination (superstructure). He writes, “In the colonies the economic infrastructure is also a superstructure. The cause is effect: You are rich because you are white, you are white because you are rich”.
Marxism vs Colonial Reality
Marxism traditionally views infrastructure as determining the superstructure. But Fanon insists that in colonialism, race and culture are not just reflections of economic conditions—they are tools of economic control. The colonizer’s wealth is justified by racial superiority, and racial superiority is reinforced by economic dominance. This circular logic makes colonialism a unique system of oppression.
Real-time example: In apartheid South Africa, white supremacy was both an ideological belief and an economic system. Black South Africans were denied land, education, and jobs—not just because they were poor, but because they were Black. Their race was used to justify their economic exclusion, and their economic exclusion reinforced racist ideologies.
Institutions as Instruments of Control
Colonial institutions—schools, churches, media—were designed to indoctrinate the colonized. They taught that European culture was superior, and indigenous cultures were primitive. This ideological control ensured that the colonized accepted their economic exploitation as natural. Fanon calls this “cultural alienation,” where the colonized lose touch with their own heritage and adopt the colonizer’s worldview.
In India, the British education system promoted English literature and history while marginalizing Indian texts. Macaulay’s infamous “Minute on Indian Education” argued that a single shelf of European books was worth more than all Indian literature. This ideological domination was part of the economic strategy to create a class of clerks and intermediaries loyal to the Empire.
Identity and Infrastructure
Fanon’s insight is that colonialism doesn’t just exploit labor—it reshapes identity. The colonized are not just workers; they are subjects molded by colonial ideology. This fusion of infrastructure and superstructure means that liberation must address both economic and cultural dimensions.
My View
As someone who studies both Western theory and Indian literature, I find Fanon’s fusion of infrastructure and superstructure deeply relevant. In Gujarati poetry, especially in Pravin Gadhvi’s work, we see how economic hardship is tied to cultural erasure. Fanon helps us see that colonialism is not just about land and labor—it’s about language, memory, and identity. I believe that true decolonization must rebuild both the economy and the imagination.
References
Colonialism as Structural Violence
Colonialism is not merely about political control; it is a system that dehumanizes the colonized. Fanon describes the colonial world as a “Manichaean” structure—divided into two zones: the colonizer and the colonized. The colonizer lives in a zone of privilege, while the colonized are confined to a zone of exclusion, poverty, and humiliation. This division is maintained through systemic violence—military force, police brutality, and economic exploitation.
For example, in British India, the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, where British troops killed hundreds of peaceful protesters, exemplifies how violence was used to suppress dissent and maintain control. Similarly, in Algeria, where Fanon worked as a psychiatrist during the war of independence, the French colonial regime used torture and mass killings to crush the liberation movement.
Psychological Violence and Mental Health
Fanon, as a psychiatrist, also explores the psychological impact of colonial violence. He shows how the colonized internalize inferiority, leading to mental disorders and identity crises. This psychological violence is as destructive as physical violence. In his clinical work, Fanon treated Algerian patients traumatized by torture and oppression, revealing how colonialism damages the psyche.
Violence as a Path to Liberation
Fanon controversially argues that violence is necessary for decolonization. He sees it as a cleansing force that restores dignity and agency to the oppressed. “The colonized man finds his freedom in and through violence,” he writes. This doesn’t mean violence is morally good, but that it is historically inevitable when people rise against deeply entrenched systems of domination.
My View
As a student deeply engaged with postcolonial literature, I believe Fanon’s emphasis on violence is not a call to arms but a call to understand the depth of colonial trauma. In Gujarati poetry, such as Bharat Mehta’s verses, we see echoes of this pain—where silence and suffering speak louder than swords. Violence, in Fanon’s view, is the language of the unheard, and while I personally advocate for peaceful resistance, I understand why Fanon saw no other way in the colonial context.
2. What Does Fanon Mean When He Says “The Infrastructure is Also a Superstructure” in Colonialism?
This statement by Fanon challenges the classical Marxist distinction between infrastructure (economic base) and superstructure (culture, ideology, institutions). In colonial societies, Fanon argues, this separation collapses. The economic exploitation (infrastructure) is directly tied to racial and cultural domination (superstructure). He writes, “In the colonies the economic infrastructure is also a superstructure. The cause is effect: You are rich because you are white, you are white because you are rich”.
Marxism vs Colonial Reality
Marxism traditionally views infrastructure as determining the superstructure. But Fanon insists that in colonialism, race and culture are not just reflections of economic conditions—they are tools of economic control. The colonizer’s wealth is justified by racial superiority, and racial superiority is reinforced by economic dominance. This circular logic makes colonialism a unique system of oppression.
Real-time example: In apartheid South Africa, white supremacy was both an ideological belief and an economic system. Black South Africans were denied land, education, and jobs—not just because they were poor, but because they were Black. Their race was used to justify their economic exclusion, and their economic exclusion reinforced racist ideologies.
Institutions as Instruments of Control
Colonial institutions—schools, churches, media—were designed to indoctrinate the colonized. They taught that European culture was superior, and indigenous cultures were primitive. This ideological control ensured that the colonized accepted their economic exploitation as natural. Fanon calls this “cultural alienation,” where the colonized lose touch with their own heritage and adopt the colonizer’s worldview.
In India, the British education system promoted English literature and history while marginalizing Indian texts. Macaulay’s infamous “Minute on Indian Education” argued that a single shelf of European books was worth more than all Indian literature. This ideological domination was part of the economic strategy to create a class of clerks and intermediaries loyal to the Empire.
Identity and Infrastructure
Fanon’s insight is that colonialism doesn’t just exploit labor—it reshapes identity. The colonized are not just workers; they are subjects molded by colonial ideology. This fusion of infrastructure and superstructure means that liberation must address both economic and cultural dimensions.
My View
As someone who studies both Western theory and Indian literature, I find Fanon’s fusion of infrastructure and superstructure deeply relevant. In Gujarati poetry, especially in Pravin Gadhvi’s work, we see how economic hardship is tied to cultural erasure. Fanon helps us see that colonialism is not just about land and labor—it’s about language, memory, and identity. I believe that true decolonization must rebuild both the economy and the imagination.
References
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