wretched-of-the-earth-frantz-fanon

26THE WRETCHED OF THE EARTHON VIOLENCE27fact the reformist leaders say the same thing: "What do youexpect to fight the colonists with? With your knives? With yourshotguns?"Yes, instruments are important in the field of violence since inthe end everything is based on the allocation of these instrumentsof force. But in this respect it so happens that the liberation ofcolonial territories sheds new light on the matter. For exampleduring the Peninsular War, which was an authentic colonial war,Napoleon was forced to retreat, despite having mustered the massivefigure of 400,000 men during the 1810 spring offensive. Yetthe French army's instruments of war, the bravery of soldiers,and the military genius of its leaders made the whole of Europetremble. Confronted with the enormous resources ofthe Napoleonicarmy, the Spanish, buoyed by an unshakeable nationalvor, discovered guerrilla warfare, which twenty-five earlierthe American militia had tested on the British troops. Butrilla warfare, that instrument of violenceamount to nothing if itcompetition betweenstart ot colonization, a single military column coulda vast amount of territory-from the Congo and NigeriaCoast, etc. But today the national struggle of theCUIUlll:l.CU is part and parcel of an entirely new situation. Capiexpansionistphase, regarded the colonies as a sourceraw materials which once processed could be unloaded onthe European market. After a phase of capital accumulation,capitalism has now modified its notion of profitability. The colonieshave become a market. The colonial population is a consumermarket. Consequently, if the colony has to be constantlygarrisoned, if trade slumps, in other words if manufactured andindustrial goods can no longer be exported, this is proof that themilitary solution must be ruled out. A blind domination on themodel of slavery is not economically profitable for the metropolis.The monopolistic fraction of the metropolitan bourgeoisienot support a government whose policy is based solely on thepower of arms. What the metropolitan financiers and industrialistsexpect is not the devastation of the colonial populationthe protection of their "legitimate interests" using economicagreements.Capitalism therefore objectively colludesviolence that erupt in colonialnized subject is notof course, theprogressivecountries and is competiwarwaged by financial groups. TheConference of Berlin was able to carve up a mutilated Africaor four European flags. Currently, the issue is notan African region is under French or Belgian sovereigntybut whether the economic zones are safeguarded. Artillery shellingand scorched earth policy have been replaced by an economicdependency. The crackdown against a rebel sultan is athing of the past. Matters have become more subtle, less bloody;plans are quietly made to eliminate the Castro regime. Guineais held in a stranglehold, Mossadegh is liquidated. The nationalleader who is afraid ofviolence is very much mistaken ifhe thinkscolonialism will "slaughter us all." The military, of course, continueto play tin soldiers dating back to the conquest, but thefinancial interests soon bring them back to earth.The moderate nationalist political parties are therefore requestedto clearly articulate their claims and to calmly and dispassionatelyseek a solution with colonialist partner T"AC''''Ar,hthe interests of both sides. When this nationalist reformist movement,often a caricature oftrade unionism, decides to it doesso using extremely peaceful methods: work stoppagesin the few factories located into cheer a leader, and a boycottmodities. All these methods not±rb#r It5ff ' "'""',...•_"-.~~_~_.• ~~~~~,_.,~~ ·J__'_' ..u._~ .. '.,_"H=.,.'.£