Post Colonialism Case Study

Assignment 1 Report

Introduction

This report will explore the theoretical approach of Post-colonialism in economic development. The report with the help of India as a case study will aim to explain how the theory of Post-colonialism has shaped understanding and approaches to international development.

This aim will be achieved by firstly defining and putting into context the theory of Post-colonialism. Next, with the use of the case study, evaluate the application of the theory thematically, whilst putting into context how the theory has been applied. The findings and opinions will be supported by secondary data and academic research. Finally, this report will summarise the proposed argument and how the theory can be utilised for future

Therefore, the indigenous people of these territories were oppressed and/or enslaved by the governing power. The reasoning behind this, in the mind sets of colonialists was “that because nobody 'owned ' the land, it was up for grabs. A simple point, but much laboured, and was the intellectual argument for such colonialism” (Hughes, 2009). Moreover, Frantz Fanon, an independence leader, as well as a leading intellect in the social and cultural impacts of decolonisation wrote in his book, The Wretched of the Earth (1961), “Colonialism hardly ever exploits the whole of a country. It contents itself with bringing to light the natural resources, which it extracts, and exports to meet the needs of the mother country 's industries, thereby allowing certain sectors of the colony to become relatively rich. But the rest of the colony follows its path of under-development and poverty, or at all events sinks into it more deeply.” (Fanon, 1961) His view is evident throughout old French and Dutch colonies in

This is a strategy known as “cultural colonisation”. The ruling powers held the view that if a colonised nation embraced Western cultures, they would no longer resist the occupation of their country. Colonial powers argued that, these “Third World” countries were inferior and needed the help both culturally and economically, in order to progress on a global scale. Indigenous people were presented by the rulers as uncivilised “savages”, who need to be passivised and educated to further themselves. Franz Fanon wrote about this too in, The Wretched Earth (1961), stating that. “the oppressed will always believe the worst about themselves … Imperialism leaves behind germs of rot which we must clinically detect and remove from our land but from our minds as well” (Fanon, 1961) An example of this can be seen throughout British colonies at the time and still exists in some even after the gaining independence. The colonised population were converted to Christianity, made to learn the English language, and also read English literature in school. However, what is key is that this incorporation into western culture was never completely successful. This is due to the fact that the indigenous people no matter how much they incorporated themselves into European ideals, they were still regarded as “uncivilised” or