wretched-of-the-earth-frantz-fanon

'.1'tPreface by Jean-Paul Sartre Not so long ago the Earth numbered 2 billion inhabitants, i.e.,500 million men and 1.5 billion "natives." The first possessedthe Word, the others borrowed it. In between, an of corruptpetty kings, feudal lords, and a fake, fabricated bourgeoisieserved as go-betweens. In the colonies, truth displayed its nakedness;the metropolises preferred it clothed; they had to get the"natives" to love them. Like mothers, of sorts. The Europeandecided to fabricate a native elite; they selected adolescents,branded the principles ofWestem culture on their foreheads witha red-hot iron, and gagged their mouths with sounds, pompousawkward words that twisted their tongues. After a short staythe metropolis they were sent home, fully doctored. These walkinglies had nothing more to say to their brothers; from Paris,London, and Amsterdam we yelled, "Parthenon! Fraternity!" andsomewhere in Africa and Asia mouths echoed"... thenon! ...nity!" It was a golden age.Then it was over: the mouths opened of their own accord;black and yellow voices still talked of our humanism, but it wasto blame us for our inhumanity. We quite happily listened tothese polite displays of bitterness. At first we were amazed andproud: "What? They can chat away all on their own? Lookxliii