Decolonizing Decolonialism

I recently attended a seminar focusing on the decolonizing movements and thoughts of Frantz Fanon and Aimé Césaire and something that was addressed that I thought was very crucial was, how do we deconstruct and create a movement dedicated to decolonization without becoming the new colonizer?

The speaker brought up examples of People's Republic of China and Cuba where after successfully ousting colonialists from their respective nations, they proceeded with decolonization, in the case of People's Republic of China, with the Cultural Revolution and thus the subsequent and methodical destruction of all things Confucian and in the case of Cuba, the persecution and targetting of Christianity. We also see this in Việt Nam, where after the revolution, Catholics came under heavy fire from the new government for being ardent pro-colonialists during the war. All these events were described as having 'decolonization' intentions, but reality, resulted in material, reactionary suppression of populations.

Decolonization efforts, as Fanon argued, should center around both self-determinism and the creation of a new society. Are we really creating a new society by reverting back to oppressive techniques shown to us and ingrained in us by our colonial masters?

The revolt against colonialism should really strive to have a critical analysis of systemic oppression, namely a system that prevents self-determinism. In the context of culture, I feel that decolonization movements should strive to ask, what is culture? What is the goal of decolonization? Is it to handcuff ourselves to the past?

I think it is important to note that culture is dynamic, not static. Though it is extremely important to preserve culture and self, especially in the context of Western imperialism and colonization (remembering that colonization is the very real extermination and smothering of 'deviant' people by a dominant, white male supremacist capitalist western society), it is important to realize that we must be open to change and not be stuck on being static. For example, while it is important to realize the narrative between Confucianism and colonial Christianity, which sought to 'civilize' savages, often through force and brutality, and the importance of understanding Confucianism and how it plays into the social structures of a lot of East Asian 'cultures' it does no one any good to stay stuck on Confucianism, which is heavily invested in patriarchy.

The important thing about decolonization is to allow people to make their own decisions within their own contexts. This requires that people be treated as human beings with respect and dignity. As with other aspects of the struggle, decolonization is an issue of human rights, not civil or otherwise - decolonization will never fit into a piece of legislation.

Decolonization is and must be radical and requires a comprehensive, radical revolution that continues even after the colonizer is overthrown. As Frantz Fanon theorized, decolonization is a long term project, not a coup.