-
Essay / Characteristics of Race: The Power of Illusion - 840
We have analyzed an uncontrollable and sane monster called colonialism. Aimé Césaire's work offers the point of view of the colonized and "identifies the root of European and American violence in the founding acts of international colonialism." The violence and exploitation of slaves for economic ends explains his argument that “no one colonizes innocently” (Césaire 1972). American history fails to show us these harsh realities of colonialism, dry scholarly texts fail to describe societies that were emptied of their natural resources, their lands confiscated, and every aspect of their cultural way of life destroyed. This brutally honest story makes me define colonialism in a different way. Forced control is a more accurate representation of colonization. When I read Kristian William's article “The Demand for Order and the Birth of Modern Policing,” this became clearer to me in a modern context. I found it interesting to read when he said, "...much of the actual law enforcement activity was not about protecting life and property, but about controlling the poor." Because a system was built to racially disadvantage certain people, their lack of opportunity and life chances has kept them in poverty, where white supremacy can control.