The Wrentched Earth

11 Pages 2676 Words

The Wretched of The Earth
By Frantz Fanon

Written in 1961 among the turbulent times of de-colonization in Africa, Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth is in one word formidable. It is formidable in the sense that it exposes the colonial system as an exploitative cultural, economic, and political system. It is one of the most concise condemnations of the colonial system. Frantz Fanon as a political author is unique in that he received his primary training in psychiatry. He provides an unparalleled look into the material forces that give colonialism its oppressive nature. As well as how psychologically this colonial oppression leads to a movement of national liberation among oppressed natives. The Wretched of the Earth is a political work employing psychology and a class-based approach to understanding the abusive quality of the colonial system, and the movement of national liberation that rises to challenge it. The content of this book spans 316 pages and is divided into 5 sections, which will be reviewed in detail. The sections are: concerning violence, spontaneity: its strength and weakness, the pitfalls of national consciousness, on national culture, and colonial war and mental disorders.

Concerning Violence
Violence is inherent in the colonial system. It is used as a method of subjugation to ensure complacency in all natives, and all of their duties. However, violence is not solely a physical phenomenon. It serves as a psychological reminder that recalcitrant behavior is to be met with brute force. On page 38, Fanon argues that in capitalist countries the educational system serves to induce certain morals. These morals, such as a protestant work ethic, and patriotism are a medium to ensure complacency with the established order. However in colonies the native population is subjected to police violence to ensure complacency. Fanon writes “In the colonial countries, on the contrary, the police ...