DE-COLONIAL MARXISM
Decolonial Marxism combines ideas from two important areas: Marxism, which focuses on class struggle and capitalism, and decolonization, which challenges the power structures that were first imposed by colonial rulers. It relates Marxist theory to the struggles faced by people and nations against colonialism and neo-colonialism. Decolonial Marxism incorporates race, class, and colonial dynamics into the analysis of social and economic structures.
Colonial powers, particularly European nations and figures like Christopher Columbus, systematically exploited countries in the Americas, Africa, and the rest of what we now refer to as the Global South, all while claiming to “develop” and “civilize” them. This was not solely economic exploitation, as it also involved cultural and political domination, as well as outright extermination. Decolonial Marxism shows how economic factors, race, and colonial oppression are deeply linked, laying the groundwork for capitalism and its neo-colonialism today.
After colonialism officially ended, many believed that countries gained their independence, including through waves of newly formed republics. Independence requires not merely the removal of colonial powers, while keeping their republican system of government and dreams of living like middle class colonizers. It requires that the wealth produced by the labor of the people remains within their control. This perspective underscores the importance of economic autonomy in the quest for true freedom through socialist revolution. So-called independence resulted in neo-colonialism, where rich countries and multinational corporations maintain control over poorer nations without direct political control.
Instead of using armies, neo-colonialism uses economic tactics like trade agreements, debt, and investment strategies to exploit resources and cheap labor in these countries. This form of control still leaves countless nations struggling with poverty while a small elite gets richer from their resources. As capitalism evolved, it became intertwined with these neo-colonial practices, creating a system where exploitation continues, just in a less visible way. Colonial and neo-colonial powers were never benevolent educators and developers. They’ve always systematically attempted to keep the rest of the world contained as dependent subjects, exploiting their resources all the while.
Socialism through global revolution is essential for decolonization, as it is what’s required to root out the systemic inequalities from colonial history through the neo-colonial present. Political independence, a republic, and a society built to look like the European colonizers does not result in is liberation. True freedom requires a comprehensive restructuring of society that prioritizes the needs of the masses, fundamentally beyond both colonialism and neo-colonialism. This includes the recovery of national resources from the Global North and the establishment of revolutionary socialist systems that allow for communal ownership, distribution, and governance of wealth.
Lastly, decolonial Marxism asserts that Marxism is not simply a European belief system only relevant to Europeans and their settler colonies. It has been adapted and utilized effectively in diverse cultural contexts around the world, including as a vital tool in struggles against imperialism and colonialism. It entails a commitment to developing a revolutionary socialist framework that aligns with the unique historical and cultural realities of nations throughout the Global South, their populations reclaiming agency against neo-colonialism today in alliance with working classes everywhere.
