Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth (1961) remains one of the most provocative texts in anti-colonial thought, largely due to its endorsement of revolutionary violence. Fanon argued that violence is not just a means of achieving independence but an existential necessity for the colonized subject. This claim has sparked intense debate: was Fanon merely describing the reality of decolonization, or was he prescribing violence as the only path to liberation?
Colonial Violence and the Colonized Psyche
Fanon, trained as a psychiatrist, saw colonialism as more than political domination—it was psychological subjugation. The colonial world, he wrote, is “a world cut in two,” where the settler and the native exist in rigid opposition. This system is upheld not only through economic exploitation but through violence, both physical and symbolic. Laws, borders, and cultural erasure reinforce the colonizer’s supremacy, instilling an inferiority complex in the colonized.
For Fanon, this violence is not abstract—it is lived. The colonized subject experiences daily humiliation, police brutality, and dehumanization. Over time, this creates a reservoir of pent-up rage, which, if left unexpressed, turns inward, manifesting as self-hatred, internalized racism, or communal violence. Fanon believed that revolutionary violence was a form of catharsis—by fighting back, the colonized reclaim agency, dignity, and self-worth.
Violence as a Means to an End?
Critics have often reduced Fanon’s argument to a simplistic call for bloodshed, but his position is more complex. He did not glorify violence for its own sake; rather, he saw it as a necessary step in the struggle for decolonization. Colonial rule, he argued, does not relinquish power willingly—history shows that negotiations and legal reforms alone rarely end oppression. From Algeria to Vietnam, anti-colonial movements were met with brutal military suppression.
At the same time, Fanon was wary of violence becoming an end in itself. He warned against cycles of revenge and the rise of new ruling elites who might replicate the colonial power structures they overthrew. True liberation, for Fanon, required not just a political revolution but a social and psychological one—an entirely new humanism.
Fanon's Relevance Today
Fanon’s theory of violence remains deeply relevant. His insights can be applied to movements against state violence, racial oppression, and economic colonialism. From the Palestinian struggle to Black Lives Matter protests, his work continues to inspire debates about resistance and the ethics of confrontation.
Yet, the question remains: is revolutionary violence the only path to justice, or can alternative methods—mass mobilization, economic pressure, or international advocacy—achieve the same goal? Fanon forces us to confront an uncomfortable truth: history suggests that oppression rarely ends without force. Whether we accept or reject his conclusions, his challenge to power structures remains urgent.
See also: Franz Fanon on revolution, violence, unity and the struggle for liberation
