Aimé Césaire's Discourse on Colonialism is a critique of European colonialism and its devastating impact on colonized societies. Césaire was a poet, politician, and intellectual from Martinique. He was a leader of the Negritude movement. Discourse on Colonialism challenges the supposed civilizing mission of European colonialism. Césaire argues that colonialism, rather than being a benevolent force of progress, is a brutal system that degrades both the colonized and the colonizer.

Set against the backdrop of mid-20th-century colonial struggles, Discourse on Colonialism condemns European imperial powers for perpetuating economic exploitation, cultural destruction, and racial hierarchy. Césaire critiques Western humanism, asserting that it is a selective ideology that values European lives while disregarding the suffering inflicted on non-European peoples. He draws connections between colonial violence and European fascism, arguing that the atrocities committed in the colonies laid the groundwork for the horrors of World War II.

His main argument is that colonialism is not about spreading civilization but about maintaining economic dominance. Through historical examples, Césaire tries to dismantles the moral and ideological justifications for this idea of  “empire,” advocating instead for the liberation and self-determination of colonized peoples – like himself.

Discourse on Colonialism is a powerful and incisive critique that should resonates with those from formerly colonized nations. His argument that colonialism was never about civilization but rather about economic greed and racial subjugation is compelling. I strongly agree with his assertion that colonialism dehumanized not only the colonized but also the colonizer. Césaire’s exposure of European hypocrisy—claiming to champion human rights while systematically oppressing non-Europeans—remains extremely relevant today as former (and not former) colonial powers continue to exert economic and political control over their former (and not former) colonies. For example, Martinque is still a colony of France, under the label “overseas department.”

What I found most impactful, albeit obvious, was his emphasis on how colonialism erases and distorts indigenous cultures. His argument that colonized societies had their own systems of governance, culture, and knowledge—systems that were deliberately destroyed—challenges the Eurocentric idea that colonization was a necessary step toward modernization. This is a reminder of how history often hides the voices of the marginalized

Césaire’s background in the colonial world profoundly shaped his view of global power structures, including his perspective on the United States. The United States, in his view, perpetuated a new form of imperialism to enforce Western dominance. Does he mention the Cold War? He does mention Communism/Maxist and its influence and him and other around him – but I cannot recall him talking about the Cold War. He does talk the World Wars which I interpreted to be WW1 and WW2.  Césaire’s Marxist influences would have played a part in his critique of the US.

Discourse on Colonialism is an important text understanding the historical and ongoing effects of colonialism. Césaire’s passionate denunciation of imperialism, his critique of European hypocrisy, and his insights into the connections between colonialism and fascism, this work as relevant today as it was in 1950s. His analysis urging us to center the voices and histories of those who resisted.