Frantz Fanon - Concerning Violence - Notes

decolonization - violent phenomenon

● no period of transition
● complete and absolute substitution of one species of men for another

radical transformation of social structure

● experienced by both the colonized and the colonizers
● program of complete disorder

violence marks construction and deconstruction of colonial system in a given locality

● natives transition from “things” to men during liberation process

scripture: “the last shall be first and the first last”

● native can only change his colonial world through violence

compartmentalization of colonial world

● segregation by race
● segregation by military power and authority

educational system perpetuates division by forcing the respect of natives for established order
● atmosphere of submission and inhibition
● educator as bringer of violence into homes and minds of native

two zones in colonial world follow principle of reciprocal exclusivity

settler’s town vs native town

● plenty vs poverty
● satisfaction vs envy

native’s dream
● lust for colonizer’s home and possessions

cause is the consequence: white -> rich, rich -> white

foreigners forge colonial society through violence

● settlers are “the others”

colonial world is Manichean

● settler regards native as evil
● native as insensitive to ethics and the negation of values

Christian religion
● implantation of foreign influences in the core of the colonized people

colonial vocabulary
● animalizes the colonized native
 ● refers to the body of colonized persons as colored masses and multitudes

supremacy of white values affirmed by violence

● decolonization: natives mock, insult, and vomit up these white values

decolonization: dialogue between colonized intellectuals and bourgeoisie colonialists

● indigenous population as indistinct mass

native realization that he is equal to the settler

decolonization unifies natives on national, racial basis

● positions of power given to the formerly colonized

native intellectual accepts Western values and ideas

● contact with his people eradicates these beliefs in him

disappearance of individualism
● replacement of western self-interest with indigenous collectivism
● everyone over the one

African communal self-criticism in djemaas or village assemblies

native intellectual’s micromanaging of decolonization vs native collective’s focus on the bread

and the land

property of truth
● the good is that which is evil for “them”

process of decolonization does not change settler’s role as the enemy

native-on-native violence

sword of Damocles: curse of native guilt

settler-native relationship is a mass relationship

● brute force against weight of numbers

terrifying native mythology

● dynamism of libido
● integration of individual into history of tribe
● ecstatic dances and sensitive emotionalism

ecstatic dance: systematized ritual seeking liberation

● restores peace

native discovers reality and transforms it into the pattern of his own customs
question: when can one affirm that the situation is ripe for a movement of national liberation
● means and tactics of liberation are of much importance

question: what are the forces which in the colonial period open up new outlets and engender
new aims for the violence of colonized peoples?
● political parties
● commercial elites

political structures: proclaim abstract principles without issuing definite commands

● organizations as partisans of order
● rank and file is urban
● self-interests

Algeria: colonialism is not a thinking machine, nor a body endowed with reasoning faculties; it is
violence in its natural state, and it will only yield when confronted with greater violence

colonialist bourgeoise advocate nonviolence

idea of compromise in decolonization

● partisans of colonial system fear the masses will destroy everything
● colonialist bourgeoise maintain faith in their connection with natives
● nationalist party distinguishes itself from violent masses
○ becomes mediator between the groups

nationalist party explains and excuses “savagery” of masses

capitalism saw in colonies a source of raw materials

● colonies as markets
● colonial population as customer
● protection of natives and with help of economic conventions their own “legitimate
interests”

detached complicity between capitalism and violent forces in colonial territory

“minimum requirements” in plan for decolonization and liberation

uprising of new nation and breaking down of colonial structures results from two causes:
● violent struggle of the people
● action by surrounding colonized peoples which brakes colonial regime

violence of the masses without their nationalist political leaders

● leaders as authentic mouthpieces have discussions with colonial officials

violence constitutes the slogan of a political party

● masses believe they have been robbed by colonists

in most instances, independence brings no immediate change

 ● reconstruction of nation continues within the framework of cutthroat competition between
capitalism and socialism

violence continues to dominate national life in the liberated colony

Western press in liberated colonies

● demonizes natives
● “everything’s going badly out there since [the colonizers] left”

Khrushchev and Castro’s behavior

US as patron of international capitalism

● advocate peaceful decolonization
● defenders of rights of all peoples to self-determination

Fear of imperialists that socialist propaganda will contaminate masses

cold war and 3rd world countries

● neutralist position
● subject to testing by colonialist countries

native acts based on the assumption that the settler only understands force
● ironic turning of tables

Drama: Rebel and mother

circle of hate in colonial Algeria

● terror
● counter-terror
● violence
● counter-violence

colonialism is inherently separatist and divisive

● violence is cleansing force for individual natives

Violence in the International Context