Post Colonialism

The study of the period after Western Colonialism is called post colonialism. It is a study of the consequences of colonialism that the native people felt such as control, exploitation, loss of properties, human rights, etc. It also analyzes the transformation and development of culture, history, discourse, and literature of European imperialism. In this article, we will discuss what postcolonialism is and what its effects are.

What is Post Colonialism?

The study of the aftermath of imperialism on the countries due to the invasion and settlement of the European countries is called post colonialism. It shows the effect on the native people who have been subordinated by the colonial rules in different parts of the world resulting in one of the biggest chapters of the history of mankind.

The characteristics of postcolonialism symbolize a significant change in the society for overcoming colonialism and also depict the different ways of dominating the subordinate or native population wielded by the colonial rules. It also showed the formation of new empires that spread across the continents resulting in an unending urge for power and domination to showcase. The time span considered to study this part of the history of mankind ranges from the 15th Century till the 20th Century.

The historians and theorists investigate the various graphs of modernity from different cultural, historical, and philosophical perspectives. It can be simply described as a critical theory formulated based on the analysis of contemporary culture, history, and literature depicting a diverse set of approaches. There are attritions in the theories and analysis done by the historians regarding this era. Not all the implications agree with each other.

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If we consider postcolonial studies with an anthropological angle, it gives us a clearer understanding of colonial life. From a deeper angle, this subject also leads to the examination of political power and social relationships sustaining neo colonialism and colonization. It surrounds the colonized and the colonizer. This approach, on the other hand, might overlap with contemporary history and draws examples related to historiography, anthropology, political science, sociology, human geography, and philosophy.

Concept of Post Colonialism

Now that we know what is postcolonialism, let us concentrate on the basic concept that reflects on European colonial power and its effect on South American, Asian, and African countries. It all started back in the 15th Century with the urge of the European countries to explore the world and to set their dominion on unmapped lands.

Since then, the settlement of the colonizers and their self-proclaimed rule resulted in a drastic change in the political, social, and cultural spheres of the colonized countries. Later on, struggles and revolutions erupted across these countries against the colonial rules resulting in gaining independence from such rulers. The time after these countries gained independence is considered to be the post-colonial era and its study is coined postcolonialism.

The criticism and characteristics of this colonial rule on the quoted third-world countries can be depicted in the following points.

• The dethroning of the colonial rule resulted in the formation of new governments in those countries resulting in the development of a new sociopolitical sphere. It offered newfound freedom to the people whose generations were under the impact of colonial rule.

• The sovereign countries and states described and asserted their independence from such rules and prepared their policies depicting freedom and democracy. Their policies signified social and economic development in all possible spheres.

• With freedom, many other things evolved in society. It brought along the practice of culture and religion.

These are the prime characteristics of postcolonialism that reflect the certain changes and transformations occurring in the countries under colonial rule and the independence they got.

Post-Colonial Literature

The literature developed during this era depicts the interaction of the colonials with the natives. By the end of mid 20th Century, a major part of the colonial empires was under the local political government. Previously, it was under the impression of the European countries enjoying sovereign authority.

This impression can be found in the art and literature produced by contemporary authors, writers, painters, etc. These creations became the right dimension to study the features of colonialism and the postcolonial era.

According to this literature produced by the post colonial writers, there are four types of colonialism.

• Settler colonialism

• Surrogate colonialism

• Exploitation colonialism

• Internal colonialism

The postcolonial criticism thus reflects on the following points.

• It is a study and analysis of politics and cultural resistance mentioned in the colonialism history.

• The ideas of social justice, democracy, and emancipation against the oppressive rule, discrimination, and racism emerge from such criticism.

• The contrasting differences between the natives and the colonial population reflect in the colonial literature.

Post Colonialism in India

The time span between 1947 till the 1980s depicts the post-colonial era in India. After the formation of a new democratic government, India saw a huge transformation from a regional scattered power to a global player. The impression of India we have these days is the nifty work of the then eminent personalities constituting the political status of India.

These decision-makers thoughtfully and judiciously converted India into a superpower after emerging from a tattered condition in 1947. The post-era of Western Colonialism is signified as post colonialism in India.

This is a short introduction to the postcolonialism that shows the development of new governments and the steady growth of countries right after the overthrow of colonial rules. This significant development can be depicted from the comparison and references given in the literature of the colonial and post-colonial eras.