The Wretched of the Earth

Jul 6, 2026

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A foundational anti-colonial text by Frantz Fanon, framed by Jean-Paul Sartre’s preface and presented through discussion of colonial power, cultural fabrication, and the moral contradictions of European “humanism.” The opening material situates colonial society as built on language, education, and manufactured elites, then turns to the emergence of a new generation that confronts racism and hypocrisy. Central themes include violence, decolonization, spontaneity, national consciousness, colonial war, and the psychological consequences of rule.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages315

Reading Time8 h 5 min

Preface

Concerning Violence

Violence in the International Context

Spontaneity: Its Strength and Weakness

The Pitfalls of National Consciousness

On National Culture

Colonial War and Mental Disorders

Series A

Series B

Series C

Series D

Conclusion

Frantz Fanon THE WRETCHEDDF THE EARTH Preface byJEAN-PAUL SARTRE Translated byCONSTANCE FARRINGTON GROVE PRESSNew York Copyright ◎1963 by Présence Africaine All rights reserved.No part of this book may be reproduced in any formor by any electronic or mechanical means,including information storageand retrieval systems,without permission in writing from the publisher,except by a reviewer,who may quote brief passages in a review.Anymembers of educational institutions wishing to photocopy part or all ofthe work for classroom use,or publishers who would like to obtainpermission to include the work in an anthology,should send theirinquiries to Grove/Atlantic,Inc.,841 Broadway,New York,NY 10003. Originally published by Francois Maspero éditeur,Paris,France,underthe title Les damnés de la terre,copyright ◎1961 by Francois Masperoéditeur S.A.R.L. Published simultaneously in CanadaPrinted in the United States of America Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 65-14196 ISBN 0-8021-5083-7 Grove Press841 BroadwayNew York,NY 10003 0102454443424140 CONTENTS Preface ……………………………………………………………………………………………7 Concerning Violence ………………………………………………………35 Violence in the International Context .. 95 Spontaneity: Its Strength and Weakness …………………107 The Pitfalls of National Consciousness …………………………148 On National Culture ………………………………………………………………………206 Colonial War and Mental Disorders ………………………………249 Series A…………………………………………………………………254 Series B………………………………………………………………………………………………………………270 Series C……………………………………………………………………………………………………280 Series D………………………………………………………………………………………………289 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………………31l PREFACE Not so very long ago,the earth numbered two thousandmillion inhabitants:five hundred million men,and onethousand fve hundred million natives.The former hadthe Word;the others had the use of it.Between the twothere were hired kinglets,overlords,and a bourgeoisie,sham from beginning to end,which served as go-betweens.In the colonies the truth stood naked,but the citizens ofthe mother country preferred it with clothes on:thenative had to love them,something in the way mothersare loved.The European elite undertook to manufacturea native elite.They picked out promising adolescents;theybranded them,as with a red-hot iron,with the principlesof Western culture;they stuffed their mouths full withhigh-sounding phrases,grand glutinous words that stuckto the teeth.After a short stay in the mother country theywere sent home,whitewashed.These walking lies hadnothing left to say to their brothers;they only echoed.From Paris,from London,from Amsterdam we wouldutter the words "Parthenonl Brotherhood!"and some-where in Africa or Asia lips would open“...thenonl...therhood!”It was the golden age. It came to an end;the mouths opened by themselves;the yellow and black voices still spoke of our humanism # 8/Preface but only to reproach us with our inhumanity.We listenedwithout displeasure to these polite statements of resent-ment,at first with proud amazement.What?They areable to talk by themselves?Just look at what we havemade of theml We did not doubt but that they wouldaccept our ideals,since they accused us of not being faith-ful to them.Then,indeed,Europe could believe in hermission;she had hellenized the Asians;she had createda new breed,the Greco-Latin Negroes.We might add,quite between ourselves,as men of the world:“After all,let them bawl their heads off,it relieves their feelings;dogsthat bark don't bite." A new generation came on the scene,which changedthe issue.With unbelievable patience,its writers and poetstried to explain to us that our values and the true facts oftheir lives did not hang together,and that they couldneither reject them completely nor yet assimilate them.By and large,what they were saying was this:“You aremaking us into monstrosities;your humanism claims weare at one with the rest of humanity but your racistmethods set us apart."Very much at our e

FAQs

What is the document’s main focus in the opening sections?

The opening material addresses how colonial systems construct and control knowledge and identity, exposing the contradiction between European claims of humanism and the reality of racist rule.

How does the text describe the role of a “native elite” under colonialism?

It describes colonial authorities selecting and reshaping promising adolescents through Western principles and rhetoric, sending them back “whitewashed” so they repeat colonial ideology rather than speak freely to their own communities.

Which major topics are listed in the contents?

The contents include “Concerning Violence,” the place of violence in the international context, spontaneity, the pitfalls of national consciousness, national culture, colonial war and mental disorders, followed by a conclusion.

Jul 6, 2026

Upload by Quinn