Discourse on colonialism

In 'Discourse on Colonialism,' Aimé Césaire critiques the notion that colonialism was a civilizing mission.

He argues that colonialism was inherently self-serving and economically exploitative, leading to the dehumanization of the colonized and the moral decay of the colonizers.

Césaire emphasizes the hypocrisy of colonialism, pointing out that colonizers, in their actions, became the very 'savages' they claimed to civilize.

He also draws parallels between colonial violence and the atrocities of Nazism, highlighting how colonial procedures were applied to non-European populations before being inflicted on Europeans.

The essay is a foundational text of postcolonial literature and critiques the capitalist and racist underpinnings of colonialism.