I agree to a greater extent with Fanon’s assessment of the respective strengths and
weaknesses of nationalism in colonial and postcolonial conditions.
First and foremost, I want to define nationalism before moving on to the rest of the text.
Nationalism is a political theory, a cultural movement, or a social movement centred on the
country and emphasizing the collective of a single nation. Instead of seeing themselves as
Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, and other ethnic groupings, African nationalism attempted to alter
Africans' identities into one identity which was being an African.
In a state where colonialization has occurred, the natives group together under the banner of
nationalism to gain independence from the colonizers, and once they have achieved
independence, they must elect new leaders, most likely those who led them during the
struggle for independence against the colonizers.1 The native of a particular part of the world
has long been fighting for democracy against the oppression of his people, and this struggle
will eventually lead to the confusion of neo-liberal universalism that we call national self-
aggrandism by which we mean nationhood.2 The educated classes' lack of preparation, lack of
practical ties with the general public, and their sloth and cowardice at the crucial moment of
the battle resulting in terrible disasters.3 Instead of becoming an all-encompassing
crystallization of the people's deepest desires, national consciousness will be nothing more
than a hollow shell.4 The native middle class that gains power at the end of the colonial
government is an undeveloped middle class.5 It has almost minimal economic power and, in
any event, is comparable to the bourgeoisie of the home nation. 6 The national bourgeoisie of
developing nations does not engage in production, invention, construction, or labour; instead,
it is totally canalized into intermediate activities. 7 Its true calling appears to be to stay in the
game and be a part of the scheme. 8 The national bourgeoisie's mindset is that of a
businessman, not a captain of industry; yet it is undeniably true that the settlers' avarice and
colonialism's system of embargoes have left them with little option. 9 As a result, what Fanon
is attempting to explain is that after achieving independence, the national bourgeoisie forgets
1
Fanon, Frantz. "The Pitfalls of National Consciousness." In The Wretched of the Earth (1961). 148
2
Ibid
3
Ibid
4
Ibid
5
Ibid.
6
Ibid.
7
Ibid
8
Ibid
9
Ibid, 149
weaknesses of nationalism in colonial and postcolonial conditions.
First and foremost, I want to define nationalism before moving on to the rest of the text.
Nationalism is a political theory, a cultural movement, or a social movement centred on the
country and emphasizing the collective of a single nation. Instead of seeing themselves as
Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, and other ethnic groupings, African nationalism attempted to alter
Africans' identities into one identity which was being an African.
In a state where colonialization has occurred, the natives group together under the banner of
nationalism to gain independence from the colonizers, and once they have achieved
independence, they must elect new leaders, most likely those who led them during the
struggle for independence against the colonizers.1 The native of a particular part of the world
has long been fighting for democracy against the oppression of his people, and this struggle
will eventually lead to the confusion of neo-liberal universalism that we call national self-
aggrandism by which we mean nationhood.2 The educated classes' lack of preparation, lack of
practical ties with the general public, and their sloth and cowardice at the crucial moment of
the battle resulting in terrible disasters.3 Instead of becoming an all-encompassing
crystallization of the people's deepest desires, national consciousness will be nothing more
than a hollow shell.4 The native middle class that gains power at the end of the colonial
government is an undeveloped middle class.5 It has almost minimal economic power and, in
any event, is comparable to the bourgeoisie of the home nation. 6 The national bourgeoisie of
developing nations does not engage in production, invention, construction, or labour; instead,
it is totally canalized into intermediate activities. 7 Its true calling appears to be to stay in the
game and be a part of the scheme. 8 The national bourgeoisie's mindset is that of a
businessman, not a captain of industry; yet it is undeniably true that the settlers' avarice and
colonialism's system of embargoes have left them with little option. 9 As a result, what Fanon
is attempting to explain is that after achieving independence, the national bourgeoisie forgets
1
Fanon, Frantz. "The Pitfalls of National Consciousness." In The Wretched of the Earth (1961). 148
2
Ibid
3
Ibid
4
Ibid
5
Ibid.
6
Ibid.
7
Ibid
8
Ibid
9
Ibid, 149
