Frantz Fanon was a central figure to the anti-colonial movements that arose in the so-called third world in the latter part of the last century, in the countries that were at the tail end of the decolonization era. His influence as an inspirator can hardly be underestimated, and it spread to various anti-racist leftist movements in the co-called first world too.
He embodied the ideology that always arises where there is discernible injustices and oppression: that of opposing military might with military means, and with slight concern for the civilians that get caught in the middle. It is the streak in anti-oppression movements that loathe pacifism and the tactics of people like MLK and Gandhi. It was certainly an inspiration to Malcolm X, and the Black Panther movement. It is likely an inspiration for Hamas.
One might be tempted to approve of his thinking and the explicit condoning of violence, and argue that it no different that the violence perpetrated by the colonizers, occupiers, oppressors. But careful analysis seems to me indicate that there is a difference - the societies liberated by such ideologies become unruly as they essentially condone violence as means to an end, and might be why societies like South Africa are now riddled with violence like almost no other country in the world.
We need to get away from this endless downward spiral of violence. The only viable alternative seems to be appealing to the conscience of the honorable people that make up the bulk of any society, even though they might be caught up as cogs in an oppressive machinery. The powerful should be given the chance to demonstrate that they are not in fact the monsters that they may appear to be in the eyes of the oppressed. A revival of the philosophy of Gandhi and MLK for our age, in other words.
He embodied the ideology that always arises where there is discernible injustices and oppression: that of opposing military might with military means, and with slight concern for the civilians that get caught in the middle. It is the streak in anti-oppression movements that loathe pacifism and the tactics of people like MLK and Gandhi. It was certainly an inspiration to Malcolm X, and the Black Panther movement. It is likely an inspiration for Hamas.
One might be tempted to approve of his thinking and the explicit condoning of violence, and argue that it no different that the violence perpetrated by the colonizers, occupiers, oppressors. But careful analysis seems to me indicate that there is a difference - the societies liberated by such ideologies become unruly as they essentially condone violence as means to an end, and might be why societies like South Africa are now riddled with violence like almost no other country in the world.
We need to get away from this endless downward spiral of violence. The only viable alternative seems to be appealing to the conscience of the honorable people that make up the bulk of any society, even though they might be caught up as cogs in an oppressive machinery. The powerful should be given the chance to demonstrate that they are not in fact the monsters that they may appear to be in the eyes of the oppressed. A revival of the philosophy of Gandhi and MLK for our age, in other words.