Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth

 Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth 

This blog is based on a thinking activity assigned by Megha ma’am.

Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth (1961) explores the deep psychological and cultural damage caused by colonialism. Its powerful arguments have shaped civil rights movements, anti-colonial struggles, Black consciousness, and even approaches to mental health, making it a key text for anyone interested in social change and activism. Fanon examines how colonial rule dehumanizes individuals, how revolutionary violence can become a force for historical transformation, and how colonized people endure lasting psychological trauma. The book continues to inspire anti-racist and decolonial movements and gained renewed attention during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.

Question : Describe how decolonization fits into a larger global capitalist picture.

Answer :

After gaining independence, many former colonies continued to depend economically on the wealthier, industrialized nations that had once ruled them. This ongoing dependence, known as neocolonialism, allowed capitalist powers to retain influence over newly freed countries through global economic systems. Institutions such as multinational corporations, the World Bank, and the IMF encouraged policies like privatization, free trade, and structural adjustment programs—measures that often advanced the interests of global capitalism rather than supporting local development.

Within this global capitalist framework, postcolonial nations were often relegated to subordinate positions. Major capitalist countries like the United States and those in Western Europe continued to dominate through trade agreements, foreign investments, and aid packages that came with conditions favoring international business interests. Consequently, economic growth in postcolonial states remained constrained, reinforcing their dependency on the global North.

The exploitation of natural resources further revealed this imbalance. Multinational corporations from developed nations established operations in postcolonial regions to extract raw materials cheaply, providing minimal benefit to local economies. This ensured that wealth and profit continued to flow toward industrialized countries, while postcolonial states struggled to achieve equitable development.

During the Cold War, these dynamics became even more complicated. The global capitalist order relied heavily on low-wage labor from the developing South, intensifying exploitation in newly independent countries. Meanwhile, the rivalry between the capitalist West and the communist Soviet bloc shaped economic choices across the postcolonial world. Some nations aligned with capitalist or socialist systems, while others pursued alternative paths—such as socialism or economic nationalism—in an effort to resist dependency and reclaim greater control over their economies.

Question : What is the role of violence in colonialism with reference to The Wretched of the Earth?

Answer :

In The Wretched of the Earth, Frantz Fanon contends that violence lies at the core of the colonial system and that, for the oppressed, responding with violence often becomes the only path toward true liberation. He argues that every aspect of the colonial relationship is shaped by violence—it is not merely a tool of domination but the very structure through which colonial power operates. For Fanon, acts of violent resistance go beyond political rebellion; they serve as a psychological means for the colonized to heal, reclaim self-worth, and restore a sense of identity eroded by years of subjugation.

Fanon emphasizes that colonial rule depends on both physical and psychological violence. The colonizers sustain their power through military might, intimidation, and by fostering a belief in the colonized that they are inferior. This system not only enforces submission but also inflicts deep psychological damage, leading the oppressed to internalize feelings of shame and self-hatred. Yet, Fanon also sees violence as a potential force of liberation—an act through which the colonized can reject imposed inferiority and recover their sense of dignity and humanity.

He describes the colonial encounter as inherently violent, creating an environment of fear and domination. This constant state of aggression dehumanizes the colonized, perpetuating an ongoing cycle of control and rebellion. Since colonizers recognize only the “language of violence,” Fanon argues that violent revolt becomes a legitimate and understandable response from the oppressed seeking freedom.

However, Fanon does not romanticize violence. He cautions that the use of violence, while necessary for overthrowing colonialism, can leave enduring psychological and social wounds. If the newly liberated fail to build equitable systems of governance, the same patterns of exploitation can re-emerge in postcolonial societies. Thus, Fanon presents violence as both a pathway to liberation and a burden that can shape the moral and political future of nations emerging from colonial rule.

Question : Describe what Manichaeism means in a colonial context.

Answer : 

In a colonial setting, Manichaeism refers to the rigid, dualistic worldview enforced by colonizers, who divided humanity into two absolute categories—“good” and “evil.” In this framework, colonizers positioned themselves as the moral, “civilized” side and labeled the colonized as “savage,” inferior, or corrupt. This stark division became the foundation of colonial racism, built on the notion that Africans and other oppressed peoples were inherently lesser. In The Wretched of the Earth, Frantz Fanon explores how this binary way of thinking underpinned imperial domination and justified oppression.

Fanon describes colonial racism as a form of “Manichaean madness,” where colonizers genuinely believed that the colonized were subhuman or dangerous. This perception made it easy for them to rationalize violence and exploitation as necessary forms of control. For Fanon, genuine decolonization requires dismantling this entire moral and psychological system—a worldview that separated people into opposing “species” defined by supposed moral superiority. Within this Manichaean structure, colonized populations were often portrayed as irrational, violent, or uncivilized, allowing colonizers to justify brutal suppression of any act of resistance.

Fanon also observes that, during independence movements, some members of the colonized elite initially maintained this same “us versus them” mentality—viewing liberation through racial or religious binaries such as “Black versus White” or “Arab versus Infidel.” However, as the struggle progressed, many realized that the issues were far more complex. Fanon notes that “some blacks can be whiter than the whites,” meaning that power and privilege can persist even after political independence. His insight reveals that the psychological residue of colonial Manichaeism often survives the end of empire, making the pursuit of true equality and liberation an ongoing struggle.

References :

Fanon, Frantz. “Preface to Frantz Fanon's Wretched of the Earth by Jean-Paul Sartre.” Marxists Internet Archive, https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/sartre/1961/preface.htm. Accessed 09 October  2025.

Fanon, Frantz. “The Wretched of the Earth Study Guide | Literature Guide.” LitCharts, 31 October 2019, https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-wretched-of-the-earth. Accessed 09 October 2025.

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