description Discourse on Colonialism Overview
Discourse on Colonialism (Discours sur le colonialisme) is a polemical essay by Martinican poet and politician Aimé Césaire, first published in 1950 by Éditions Réclame. Césaire argues that European colonialism is not a civilizing mission but a decaying, barbaric enterprise, and he draws explicit connections between colonial violence abroad and the rise of fascism in Europe. The text became a central work of anticolonial thought alongside Franz Fanon's writings, influencing postcolonial theory and négritude.
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Who was the author of the polemical essay "Discourse on Colonialism"?
The essay was written by Aimé Césaire, a Martinican poet, playwright, and politician. Césaire was a founding figure of the Négritude movement, which sought to reject colonial racism and affirm African diasporic identity.
When was "Discourse on Colonialism" originally published?
The essay was first published in 1950 by the French publishing house Éditions Réclame. It appeared during a period of intense anti-colonial struggle, most notably the First Indochina War.
What is the central thesis of Césaire's "Discourse on Colonialism"?
Césaire argues that European colonialism is not a civilizing mission, but rather a decaying, barbaric enterprise that decivilizes the colonizer. He famously posits that Nazism was simply European colonial tactics applied to Europe itself.
Which influential African author cited "Discourse on Colonialism" as a major influence on his own anti-colonial writings?
Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe was heavily influenced by Césaire's text. The psychological and cultural arguments Césaire put forth helped lay the groundwork for Achebe's critiques in novels like "Things Fall Apart."
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