Historical Essay Example: Fanon's Theory of Anti-colonial Struggle

In his theory of anti-colonial struggle, Fanon proposes the use of violent revolution since the colonial world is violent. The natural state of colonialism is violent hence can only yield if exposed to severe violence. Violence is a component of the liberation of which without violent, total freedom cannot be achieved (Dahbour and Ishay 275). According to Fanon, the outbreak of violence in times of colonialism is a symptom of decolonization that can bring genuine freedom (Dahbour and Ishay 274). Fanon advocates that regardless of the means used, decolonization can only be achieved through violent means. This is because, in the context of decolonization, two opposing forces are expected to meet in which their originality is owed on the substantiation  (Dahbour and Ishay 274). The originality is nurtured by the current circumstances in the colonies. Hence, decolonization process is only meant to preserve Manichaeism within the colonies (John and Stephen 354). In the anti-colonial struggle, the settler is the enemy that must be eliminated.

Fanon further explains that dialectic happens when the oppressed practically fight for their liberation and that it can only be solved by dialectic reciprocal of antagonism. That is why Fanon says that when the violence of the colonized and colonial regime meets, they balance and respond to each other in unexpected mutual homogeneity (Dahbour and Ishay 278). The only way to go about decolonization is through violent since it is trying to rectify a situation that was brought in violently (Dahbour and Ishay 274). This is because, during colonization, people are forced out of their original homeland making them inhuman, the same thing happens during the process of decolonization (Dahbour and Ishay 278). This is when the colonized exhibit inhuman attributes on their road to liberating themselves. Therefore, in the perspective of Fanon, violent is what makes a man (Dahbour and Ishay 275). Through violent means, colonized man restores his humanity that was taken during colonialism. Fanon argues that true liberation occurs in the desire to become something else.

The role of violence

From the theory of Fanon, we can see that violent plays a role in the anti-colonial struggle. First, violence helps colonized people to alienate so that they know themselves. Here, violent is meant to restore humanity to the person that has been denied (Dahbour and Ishay 280). Violent means is used by the colonized to win back dignity and personal respect that was taken away by the settlers. The colonized man regains his humanity by taking away the features of the settler (Dahbour and Ishay 290) . Secondly, Fanon claims that violence influences on the psyche of the natives (Dahbour and Ishay 277). Violence plays a role in eliminating the psychological outlooks that had taken root in the soul of the natives. The feelings were because of evil deeds of the colonialism like psychological abuses, oppression, discrimination based on race and brutality of the police (Dahbour and Ishay 270). Violence in this situation is like a cleansing force at a personal level. Violent liberates the colonized people from the feelings of inferiority, inaction, and despair. It helps the native people to gain courage and regain personal respect (Dahbour and Ishay 274)...