Do We Still Need To Decolonise?

[@ForeignManinaForeignLand]

THANK YOU! Lord knows we don't talk enough about the imperialism that the "romantic" empires were responsible of

[@michaelriverside1139]

Thing is... The greater issue is imperialism mutating into neoliberalizm and nationalizm, where most of the land is still opressed, but YOU are made to feel PROUD of how YOUR land contributes to the global market... Colonialism is a traumatic event that blinds the people of the land to accept their newborn nations... even if they are in the hands of a very few, but local wealthy families, who openly contribute to keep building a mythology that sustains their neo-noble status within them. By this point, we need to focus on building bonds at a local pace while deconstructing and constructing the nations to a point where it cannot define us anymore, yet not forget the atrocities that defined them either and for a better society to emerge from their dilapilated imaginary lines. Otherwise, counter groups will always have a hideout, just look at how many Trump rednecks and Bolsonaro maniacs emerged in these last few years.

[@tankiebot704]

​@@michaelriverside1139nationalism is the opposite of imperialism. Colonised people need nationalism

[@zeit.flaeche]

@@tankiebot704 No. Sorry, but it’s not that simple. Nationalism is just providing a “new ingroup” one can feel “strong” being part of. It tells you the lie that it will fight against and protect you from former oppressors, like feudal or colonial lords - but in the end it’s just a hierarchical power structure to exclude others and to divide, that can be used against the 99% eventually. (Like @michaelriverside1139 pointed out) Sure, Nationalism within a de-colonial context, used by the colonial subjects against the colonizers, is something else as Nationalism in the imperial core. But just because it’s better, doesn’t make it good.

[@tankiebot704]

@@zeit.flaeche as colonised people we want division and separatiom from outgroups. So to say that nationalism is bad because it does precisely that makes no sense.

[@michaelriverside1139]

@@tankiebot704 That is the essential issue.. It's a vicious cycle that has been running rampant for centuries now, just in Mexico the spaniards promised to liberate people in 1521, then the criollos in 1810, the bourgeois 1910, the PRI in 1960, Sub-Comandante Marcos in the early 2000's, AMLO in 2018. It goes and on, the only thing that changes is the people with power, not the distribution of that power and wealth into equity for all. Nationalism just got the people of the mayan peninsula kicked out of their lands so the government could sell those lands to foreigners instead of letting the republic of Yucatan to be formed, yet it also unifies the polarized people within to mantain the grotesque hierarchical system. I'm just as sick of Mexico as of the United Estates, I just want a worthy life for people, not some nebulous lines and frankestein mythologies.

[@imbombur]

The art you use for your videos is so well selected and gorgeous.

[@Andrewism]

Thank you very much!

[@suzygirl1843]

@@Andrewism China is helping Africa to decolonize. South America can join, India has a rather... difficult relationship with China

[@lanzinator4734]

Andrewism is one of the few content creators who gives me genuine hope that a better world is possible.

[@millykendrill5301]

If only people would actually listen to him though... Until POCs rise up and take back what belongs to them, white Christians will continue to subjugate the world.

[@millykendrill5301]

@@SpinachInfluenza exactly!

[@judsoncurry9637]

Same

[@harriyanna]

colonization is literally still apart of our everyday lives its not even funny. so many black people have the last names they have BECAUSE of colonization. it's freaky to think about it literally is affecting our identity and we don't realize it.

[@apoorhorseabusedbycenk]

Change your name then. It's not hard.

[@theinternetsavedmylife]

The problem with decolonization is it's largely impractical and focuses on trivial issues such as this. People in the Philippines largely have Spanish names but don't suffer from the same level of ineptitude in terms of governance as do African and Caribbean countries. Changing the names of institutions wouldn't make them work overnight just like giving a car a paint job wouldn't repair its damaged engine. I've realized that when it comes to black issues appearance and perception matters more than structure and functionality. Feelings transcend formula. Decolonization is the perfect mask for someone who doesn't want to face the hard reality of what needs to be done. It's a juvenile way of solving problems. The thinking goes "If colonization bad, then to fix society who must simply reverse it". Reality is not ALL OF COLONIZATION WAS BAD. And not all of it needs fixing. This is where having a mature and sincere approach to problem-solving comes it. You have to pick the right winners without involving sentiments -- it doesn't matter if that aspect of society was implanted with the degradation of several slaves - as long as it works to the benefit of society, keep it. There's no point in renewing the wheel. And there it is, a simple guide to decolonization: "If it works, keep it. If it doesn't work, change it."

[@tamunotamuno3564]

@@theinternetsavedmylife wtf 🤣. betterment of society at the degradation of several slaves?? How can you better society when its lower class are being exploited and sold to slavery?

[@ameliawilliams4632]

@@theinternetsavedmylife What parts of colonization do you think weren't bad? Like, I get the world is more connected, but that could've happened without enslavement and the like.

[@theinternetsavedmylife]

@@ameliawilliams4632 Everything could've happened without any other thing happening. We could've discovered penicillin in the 2010s and airplanes could have been invented in the 16th century. Speaking in Could've and Should'ves is largely a waste of time. There are several aspects of colonization that weren't bad like introduction of codified laws and statues, banning of harmful traditional practices such as the killing of twins, human sacrifices etc, introduction of formal education in places without such, modern technology that would've taken hundreds of years to catch up or develop on their own, broadening of African markets through inter-linkages with global markets, elevating the status of women and empowerment of various minorities et cetera et cetera.

[@anarchypaladin7509]

The anarchist author Nandita Sharma argues that nation-state and, more broadly, any form of nationalism can't ever achieve decolonization."National sovereignty promises us that once we achieve it, we will become a, 'community of equals.' We will have self-determination. We will be decolonized. We will have equality. My book demonstrates that none of this actually materializes once national sovereignty is gained. And instead I argue that nationalisms, both from above as well as from below, have actually worked to contain and curtail our dreams of decolonization, and our demands for social justice that animated, and continue to animate anti-colonial struggles. "

[@SafavidAfsharid3197]

Be anarchist mushed brain primitive: 1) Successfully establish an anarchist system by force because majority of people aren't brain-dead enough to follow it 2) rule through consensus 3) majority of people vote against anarchism and get back to nation state 4) win?

[@marekmedien]

Wait is there a typo? The last sentence sounds like "nationalisms will achieve our anarchist goals"

[@Ana_Fern]

I love the use the Dark Mark of Manifest Destiny at the start. It is such a perfect choice of artwork to represent colonial history. The original work by Gust is a tragic riddle for anyone familiar with US history. The angel of American progress that shuns away dark clouds or indigenous people, everything in the original painting reverses in the viewer's head if they know history beneath westward expansion. Replacement of the angel of progress with the angel of death by Benally finally brings the original painting to its true meaning.

[@serversurfer6169]

I figured Drew just shopped that. 😅

[@Palbizu]

As a Puerto Rican, colonialism is a daily nightmare in full force still

[@Andrewism]

The region as a whole truly is a picture of colonialism sadly

[@Palbizu]

@@Andrewism agreed. But right now we haven’t even gotten past the colonizer having direct control over the island. It’s incredibly sad to see how many houses are now abandoned in the island because people are leaving in droves. We’re completely unable to trade with anyone else in the region as well.

[@PhantasmalBlast]

@@Palbizu I’m sorry you guys are going through that.

[@happygucci5094]

Bermuda is a study in denial! The psychological grip is terrifying in its acknowledgment.

[@millykendrill5301]

Look at South Africa. Take back your land, your country, your dignity. And un-alive any white man who stands in your way. And even those who don't. It's time for a world without .white men.

[@othelliusmaximus]

2:20 - 2:24 one thing about Andrew is he finna rhyme some words together. Bro went on lyrical miracle shit.

[@Andrewism]

You know how I do 😏

[@OsofoGriot]

9:45 Andrew lets loose

[@WorkingViews]

If a mansion has a crumbling foundation, rotten studs and siding, mold in the attic and a leaking roof, a fresh coat of paint isn't going to do anything. it must be disassembled with proper force, salvaging what you can and making space to build something that suites it's inhabitants and their surroundings. Thank you for covering this. It's scary that things must change so drastically but there is really no other choice. No one can make it alone and we need ways to work together that aren't dictated by capital. I'm finally emerging from a series of traumatic events and it gives me hope to know there are people everywhere working for the same basic goals. Keep up the great work and stay safe.

[@birdsforbrains2]

It was an aside, but I appreciate how you succinctly and clearly explained the israel-palestine history. A lot of people try to obscure the facts and history and make things seem more complicated than they are, but imo that was a good clear simple explanation for anyone who isn't familiar w Israel's history and you don't see that often--before colonization by the british, israel was cohabitated and shared (with occasional conflict) by jews, muslims and christians. Kudos!

[@michaelriverside1139]

That kind of approach doesn't work for every society, and tends to fall into the trap of Black and White, take for example the iberian peninsula during the Ál-Andalus period, where muslims and christians co-existed at separate intervals due to internal changes within the caliphate or conquests from religiously intolerant groups such as the Almohads, the duality within humanity and the continued existence of hierarchies will push any conflict of interest to disproportionate dimensions... It's time to stop building utopias in history, or we risk into creating more myths like Atlantis of perfect societies and even perfecter societies that overthrew them, both ideals that we can only aspire to be like rather than build real societies that acknowledge the mistakes of the past.

[@lilnoir4213]

Lol, making things more complicated than they are, isnt the issue here, cutting them down so it fits your ideology is. You are forgetting 500 years of ottoman empire before the british took the land for a tiny second. People from diffrent religions didnt cohabitated, they were under a strong and oppressive muslim leadership that became more liberal before it collapsed. Yet you are drawing the picture as if anything was better before the british came, how is monachry better, how is less education better ?

[@marspower1288]

Yes! as an Arab Jew I also wanted to add that that the British didn't lease Palestinian land to Jews, they leased it to EUROPEAN Jews, some of the natives of Palestine were Jews and other Israelites such as Samaritans, and they also experienced racism and destruction of their livelihoods by Zionism. the Zionists managed to pit us Arabs of different religions and ethnicities against one another to dominate us, Muslims Jews Christians Druze Bedouin all need to come together and decolonize!

[@michaelriverside1139]

To a certain extent, I'd agree, @Andrewism certainly likes to handwave certain topics to demonize the european continent and glorify the indigenous people, tending to avoid to talk about conditions that have existed in certain lands since immemorial times, regions such as the Balkans and Israel-Palestine have a long history of conflict due to the economic dogmas that the very geography of their lands instilled upon them, which require a very thorough analysis to find key components in how to improve the situation for the common people there for here and now... Not just "Hur Dur Evil British are to blame", while gleefully ignoring the complex history of a region seen since antiquity as a commercial hub between asia and europe that incited as much conflict as it did cooperation between groups such as greeks, persians, romans, ottomans, arabs and many, many more way before the "British" even existed... Heck, Britain has an insanely complex history where people like to romanticize the welsh or scottish people, but those people were also at war with each other and even with the near cornish people way before the arrival of romans and anglo-saxxons, there's a reason why King Arthur developed a whole mythology around him and it was never in favour of unifying people, just legitimizing the power of one group, the monarchy that swelled in riches, while the common "british" was worked to death in coal mines... Atlantis may be a paradigm by this point rather than a myth and it's eyebrow raising that Andrew simplified such a complex topic in a couple of minutes to make a vacuous "us vs them" to recclaim a golden age, almost like a modern Pseudo-Plato rather than the constructive person I thought he was.

[@bestaqua23]

@@lilnoir4213 and by the way the Ottomans royally screwed over the native Palestinians . It's easy to think about it as Muslims vs Jews but the reality is a lot of the conflicts came from the fact thet in order to destabilise any nationalistic movement the Ottoman empire participated in a large-scale population movement ( involuntary most of the time ) . A great bit part of the problem was thet the land owners during the Ottoman empire would sell lends they owen in Palestinian to Jewish people who then came and tried to evict the people who actually live on thet lend ( thinking they legally own the lend. They did but again the ownership of lend back them was almost separate for who lived on it ) .

[@zakkart]

Thank you so much for mentioning the situation in the Philippines!

[@AngelTail]

*joins Marc-sensei in sending _salamat_ (thanks) to Andrew-sensei too! 4:06 translated from the Cebuano language as "Wa y dahong mahulog sa atong nasud nga di mananghid sa Malacañang"'' (in Tagalog, "Hindi mahuhulog ang isang dahon sa ating bansa nang walang pahintulot ng Malakanyang") Moi also feels that colonization in the various islands and communities in the Philippines has also been brutally felt by indigenous communities here that had respected, acknowledged, and even venerated transgender-nonbinary people, treating them as shamans (bayot, asog, baylan/babaylan, bayog) in precolonial days before Magellan arrived in 1521. Gender binary colonialism -- how else to call it? -- the strict enforcement of the gender binary and its norms and codes via Catholicism/Christianity -- have pretty much made these folks as demons, as outcasts, manifesting into transphobia, homophobia, and othering in the centuries following colonial rule of both the Spanish and the US state. Sex and gender pretty much considered as ambiguous and fluid in precolonial indigenous cultures here has been replaced by evangelized, pure, hierarchical, anti-LGBTQIOA+ ideals of religiosity among the churches and their followers here: "Baylan, Asog, Transvestism, and Sodomy: Gender, Sexuality and the Sacred in Early Colonial Philippines" by Carolyn Brewer - published in Intersections: Gender, History and Culture in the Asian Context Issue 2, May 1999 - pls try to access via Wayback Machine There's hope that remains with regards to this front, though... the bakla -- often considered to be the "third gender" as well as a slur and a word used to describe a cisgender man who adopts feminine gender expressions as well as various queer-gay-trans-enby sexual and gender identities in many communities/baranggays both in the urban and rural parts of the islands -- remain and are at least acknowledged to be part of communities despite often discriminated against and even often exploited and relegated to positions of breadwinners, hairdressers, and entertainers... Many peeps have reclaimed that slur and proudly use that word and even their own argot/way of speaking ("beki", swardspeak) and hold baranggayans or the local community versions of drag shows and beauty pageants. There's also an indigenous group of people in Mindanao called the Teduray, even up to this day, acknowledging their kin that are also kin to trans and enby folks... _mentefuwaley lagey_, translated from the Tiruray/Teduray language as "one-who-becomes-man" and _mentefuwaley libun_ (one who becomes woman)... One interesting point that struck moi was that the _mentefuwaley_ actually means "one" or "someone" or "being"... acknowledging that genderless/agender state-of-being before assuming a particular sex/gender role later on in life. "Wisdom from a Rainforest: The Spiritual Journey of an Anthropologist" by Stuart A. Schlegel *standing in solidarity as someone who's trying to find moi own queer-nonbinary-trans identity by adopting perspectives that serve to promote nonhierarchical, direct-democratic, empathetic ideals...! 'would love to hear a series about trans folks via anarchist lenses maybe in future...? Go go go!

[@mjolninja9358]

🎉 Philippines mentioned 🎉

[@karlmoore1837]

In many cases, when it gets to independence, it very much feels like "Victory has defeated you." And I think you put that across in a better way than I could. Thanks for the videos.

[@yuriajones]

This is a wonderful breakdown. I'm from the Commonwealth of Dominica and the island's official name says it all! As an independent nation, we simply took over the colonial systems left by the British and did very little to deconstruct them. This has allowed a few power-hungry, opportunistic people to assert their will in business and politics.

[@Andrewism]

Unfortunately this is common across the Caribbean😔

[@magicorange0413]

Thank you for this excellent video! I am currently writing a research paper about the necessity of violence in decolonization to publish in an undergrad. journal later this year. I think our outlining is very similar - criteria, sources, etc. Very interesting watching this just minutes after talking about my project with my professor.

[@adaamanze]

ooo please id love to read it when you're done!

[@Andrewism]

Don't hesitate to share with the class when you're done!

[@calsouth03]

That sounds interesting, I'd love to see when it's published. I admittedly only know the basics of decolonization, but out of curiosity, do you mean violence as a necessity in terms of direct violence or societal violence? Also, would you recommend any further reading on the topic?

[@ambatuBUHSURK]

lmfao yeah we need more violence. nice.

[@calsouth03]

@@ambatuBUHSURK depends what type of violence we're talking about. In the US at least, violence legally includes stuff like damage to property. idk what OP means exactly though.

[@packman2321]

I've been really enjoying these videos. I love how your stuff offers visions for change into something as well as critiques of the current situation or failed solutions. I ran into this worry in the book On Decoloniality which mentioned some of the critique of merely liberating countries I think you mentioned here, so I've found the framing quite helpful at the moment

[@millykendrill5301]

Decolonise means de-white. And it is long overdue

[@ramblinactivist]

Knowing the history of my local area, where various branches of my family have lived for centuries, you're absolutely spot-on in calling for reversing colonial injustices... and yes, I'm English! Our land was taken almost 1,000 years ago, and the descendants of those settlers -- the Normans -- exported that model after perfecting its violent injustices on the English, then the Welsh, then the Irish, then the Scottish. 1,000 years later, and 0.04% of the population still control over half the land area of this nation. The injustices the English perpetrated during empire were prefigured by similar injustices here, though magnified many-fold by the power of new technologies in those later centuries; and if the English establishment today is unwilling to confront that colonial legacy, it is perhaps that they would have to admit to trialling those practices on the people of these nations first. So, though many here do not understand, the peoples of the British Isles have common cause with the peoples of the world in resisting the effects of their own colonisation, which are perpetuated today in the misrule of our highly centralised, elite-dominated state -- and we cannot truly be free here until the rest of the world makes the English establishment confront that legacy.

[@HansLemurson]

At what point do you say decolonization is no longer viable? Many modern countries were formed by now-ancient conquests that dispossessed people, destroyed cultures and languages, and lead to the installation of a foreign ruling class. Does England need to decolonize from the Norman Conquest?

[@surgeland9084]

The academic discussion of post-colonialism largely ignores settler-colonies. I have heard settlers try to tell me that Canada is post-colonial because it is no longer governed by Britain―setting aside for a moment that commonwealth taxpayers contribute millions to the UK in taxes even today―when from the Indigenous point of view, nothing has changed at all. The need for decolonization and Land Back initiatives is more pressing every day here on Turtle Island.

[@ZyllasAthenaeum]

Yes yes YES! We need to be FOR something! Thank you, Andrew; I always find your work so inspiring.

[@Forrrdppl]

This is so important! Especially right now

[@redrooster3420]

I always appreciate your videos whenever I have the chance to watch them, and I just wanted to say this video was so very helpful for me. As a white settler, I never was taught these things by family or in the "Canadian" school I went to. From what I remember, we had only one chapter in our Canadian history textbook dedicated to indigenous peoples, and it was filled with propaganda that made indigenous people seem "outdated" (as if they no longer exist, a relic of some """uncivilized""" society), while heavily downplaying Canada's role in genocide. There was only one paragraph dedicated to residential schools, and though abuse was (very briefly) mentioned as "taking place", the blame was placed upon individual actors rather than the systems and colonizers who violently force(d) themselves upon indigenous peoples, culture, and land. Anyway, all this to say, I am sorely lacking in education about decolonization, let alone colonialism. With my learning disabilities, it has been hard to catch up learning all of the things I was kept from understanding as a kid (through both blatant propaganda/erasure + punishing school systems that made it hard to ask further questions), but condensed videos and audio like your channel offers are a great way for me to get a general guide and find more specific points to explore deeper. Despite my disturbing lack of education, I am learning more each year and it is shaping my political and social awareness for the better. Thank you for your helpful videos and all the effort put into them! I greatly appreciate it!

[@Joey.Rainey]

Just saw the notification I’m excited for the new video

[@horrudu4081]

A very important video, and thank you for including the colonies of northern scandinavia. This is where I live, and there is not enough awareness of the ongoing colonialism here. It is not commonly discussed, even in Scandinavia. However, the name Lappland is something we don't use due to Lapp being the colonial racist word for the native Saami people. The geographic name is Sápmi. Even by the colonial powers.

[@emmalinehawthorne3922]

Great video! I was aware of systems of oppression in some form for at least a decade but the first time it really hit me how far imperialism has shaped our root understanding of the world was when I was watching an interview of the dude from Halluci Nation and he said the 'myth of canada' and I was just like 'whoooa' because canada and US have no real right to be there, to be the administration of turtle island on any level. Like none. They didn't hold up any of their treaties with the indigenous populations and in many cases lied or just brutalized them until they had control of a particular plot of land. Like the only reason we treat canada and US like countries is because some white guy told us to. Even the structures 'citizens' of these 'countries' go to for political change are based on this erroneous assumption that these countries deserve to even have that political power to begin with. Many indigenous people don't vote because to vote is to reify the idea that these countries deserve this power to begin with. It's definitely a rock and a hard place situation. Anyway Revolutionaries often talk about the importance of decolonizing your mind and this video is great for that! We have to be aware of the problem and know how the problem is currently effecting us to solve it. I really appreciate the way you explain these topics.

[@anfearaerach]

As long as the Six Counties aren't free, Ireland isn't either. We stand with the rest of the world dealing with the aftermath of colonialism. Ireland used to be covered by forests, and towns had nice names, only to be replaced by silly English names. The forests are gone.

[@momonkbeavis]

The forests were gone long before the English. The origional celtic settlers cleared away a lot of the land not the english. The english only began to colonize it in the 1500's long after the forests were gone.

[@happygucci5094]

🙏🏽 THANK YOU With love, resonance and deep gratitude from Bermuda

[@forrestelliott9486]

I suppose imperial Russia did a lot to colonize Siberia... Anyway thanks for the perspective. As a relatively well off white guy in 'Murica, it's hard for me to understand just how European colonialism in the "age of the sail" still fucks with most people. Another breadtuber I watch (Marxism Today) sometimes talks about the ongoing anti-colonial struggles of the Irish. I had never thought about in those terms, but they were one of the first and longest held prisoners of the British empire. Now that they're nominally free, their economy and government is still controlled by outsiders, though it's apparently become of Murica's property than British.

[@jsalinastn]

Great video - where can you find the Manifest Destiny with Death? This counter-framing painting is so powerful and captures the reality of colonialism faced by indigenous

[@ay-machan4780]

This video helped me to understand lots of aspects of colonialism I was confused about as a kid of amateur and you have a nice voice to listen to. The method of presentation is not too overwhelming or simplistic as well. Really good video to break large concepts like decolonialism into broad bits without compromising more specific language when needed.

[@ay-machan4780]

* kind

[@meskita106]

Yus! Anti neo-liberal, anti global, grassroots movements. ✊🏼

[@michaelriverside1139]

I'd argue that Post-Colonial Patriotism is a massive hurdle in the way of any positive social revolution, after all, the united estates don't look at themselves as the rogue british colony they are, but as a whole new nation that instills a twisted sense of pride despite the rotten mold within it's history... And it's not an endemic problem, Mexico is an utterly bipolar country where nationalism is outright pushed down our throats as toddlers, yet we are made to essentially kiss the foot of the american and trans-oceanic firms for the garbage jobs they provide once we enter the workforce and to do so with an equally twisted sense of pride, pride in the hurt that has it's roots in several pre-hispanic societies but got magnified by it's intermixing with christianity... Which is where the whole notion of construction & deconstruction you mentioned needs to be really critical into building a paradigm of duality, indigenous civilizations weren't utopias and not every colonizer was a demon, theocractic despots existed in both worlds before contact and new ones emerged from it's forced union, yet it has always been the same, the common folk has never been a humanely nourishing experience and our goal should be for the common to be truly extraordinary and worth living for all.

[@gamewrit0058]

💜✌️Another amazing video. Tightly written essay with impactful, evocative, and inspiring imagery in your words and voice. Your themes of "acts of administration" and "acts of enclosure" engaged my interest in particular. Could totally see this video, along with three of the others you mention, as an outline for discussion groups and organizing, or a history/social studies class. Sorry it was stressful to write, while simultaneously grateful for your work. Peace.

[@Andrewism]

Thank you very much!

[@MainelyMandy]

The noise I made when the list of different colonization types came on screen Anyway, thank you for this video. Very informative!

[@gamewrit0058]

Same! 👋💜 Andrewism essays always simultaneously blow me away and keep me grounded.

[@PrincessMadeira]

Honestly, I've thought a lot about this, where like if we accept the valid like... sovereignty of indigenous governance, like I would much rather live in a society governed in the way the land I live on was governed by the groups that were here first. They basically had full communism and universal suffrage in direct democracy and I cannot believe my ancestors saw that and were like "Nah, having a king and paying rent is awesome!" instead of begging to be allowed to join like any sensible person would have.

[@alexandreventurellicavalhe8717]

Hey there! Keep up with the amazing videos! Just a curiosity: here in Brazil we're used to learn that Brazil was an Exploitation Colony. Thanks again

[@nicklaurindo1916]

Its both really, the South was settler colony, the northeast was exploration, the southeast a mixture of both. Now days the center-west has become the new settler colony while the north an exploration colony of the rest of the country.

[@SomasAcademy]

Not remotely relevant to the point of the video but @~0:38 "Umayyad" and "Aztec" aren't country names, they're adjectives - "Umayyad" refers to the family name of one of the ruling dynasties of the Caliphate, and "Aztec" is an exonym referring to the ruling ethnic group of the Triple Alliance (Ēxcān Tlahtōlōyān) or "Aztec Empire." Using them as nouns is like talking about the countries of "Saudi" and "French" instead of "Saudi Arabia" and "France."

[@Andrewism]

I know, and perhaps for the sake of consistency I could've said Roman, Assyrian, *Qing, Mali, Umayyad, and Aztec, considering that there has not been a single Chinese empire but rather multiple empires rules by different dynasties.

[@ThePathOfEudaimonia]

Together with Anark one of my most cherished channels. Keep up the good work, brother!

[@Laezar1]

As a french person the part about internal colonialism was very interesting, I tend to view colonialism as something that we purely did onto others but there is also a lot of internal colonialism going on. There has been over time a lot of effort from the central administration to unify the country and present it as one homogenous culture ereasing regional cultures. Things like the "french academy" which is an institution dedicated to prescribe what "good french" is and tries to unify it. There was also an effort at some point to force kids to not use their regional dialect. You also see that in the way french history is taught where a lot of different cultures are retroactively lumped into the same thing when in reality they might have less to do with each other at the time than they did with cultures that are linked to other nations. And there is of course the pyramidal hierarchical organization of the land aswell as most of the political power structures being centralized in paris. I find the concept of internal colonialism very useful cause yeah it's obvious in retrospect, colonial empires don't just decide to colonize other, the imperialism aspect is something that's baked into their power structures and how they form. I'm not exactly sure where I'm going with that, it's just something I never thought about that way and find interesting but I have no concluding point to the comment so... have a good day =p

[@Andrewism]

This is definitely an area I could've discussed further. The whole nation state model, developed in Europe and exported globally, is ultimately built on a homogenisation of people under one identity, by force if necessary.

[@Laezar1]

@@Andrewism Yeah, I don't think you needed to really expand on that it's not necessarily the most important part but it did make me think for sure

[@aletheiaverite]

T'es breton toi non ?

[@Laezar1]

@@aletheiaverite Non, mais oui la bretagne c'est un bon exemple ^^

[@OutlawMaxV]

This video points out just how important knowledge of history is to understand why things are as they are today. Bravo Andrew

[@123pancho7]

Great vid as usual, I reading up about colonialism by the Spanish and I discovered the term “Indigenismo” and “Mestizaje”. The Spanish did the opposite of doing what the US did when it came to colonizing while erasing black and indigenous peoples in Central America. We see that in Mexico and other counties in Central America.

[@jakenoble842]

Thank you for another amazing video Andrew!

[@FaiaHalo]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I live in Latin America and we need to decolonize in so many ways. Thanks for addressing such important matters!!

[@Trials_By_Errors]

Muslim Empires also did colonization before European empires. We also need that decolonisation.

[@cmaslan]

Oh boy we will play jigsaw puzzle of civilizations aren't we.

[@DrAnarchy69]

This is a really great video!

[@colingallagher1648]

another amazing video as always many thanks andrewism

[@satanspy]

ay yo i heard that trini accent and subbed right away! youre doing great work my friend much love from canada.

[@KootFloris]

I recognize this underlaying anger in many formerly colonized, let alone downtrodden, people. But part of the healing is also healing the traumas of this anger. I don't say, forgive and forget, but when you study how the black majority in the USA also keeps itself down in victimhood, then both sides have work to do. Take South Africa, the increase of corruption after Mandela's death is terrible. Why, because many new leaders act in the 'Now it's my turn to take and take.' This too is unhealed, and unacknowledged trauma.

[@el-sd8oo]

In my opinion its because the previous power structure hasnt fully been removed.

[@KootFloris]

@@el-sd8oo Good addition, so yes that too.

[@el-sd8oo]

@@KootFloris 💜

[@ericrae7531]

Another stellar video! Thanks!

[@Alasdair37448]

The only way that the powers of imperialism can be broken is to create solidarity of all people between all colors, creeds, religions, and nationalities so long as those things can be used to divide the people into more manageable groups the power of imperialism can never be broken.

[@electricAB]

Spot on! Something that has been a recurring thought for me, as a displaced person within and on the edge of the ‘white’ privileged world, .. is that we too were once indigenous, we too had our own stories and were integrated within a set of sustainable relationships with our environment. We too have been colonised. And we can serve as a lesson for those, that have in turn been colonised by ‘us’ … Fight! Not violently (unless absolutely forced to..), fight creatively for your identity and your culture. As an example of what I am saying (with way too much rum in my belly): Very, very little remains of the original creation stories of the celtic people… we were assimilated a very long time ago.. So few of those I work and live with have the faintest idea of what they have lost, of how they are oppressed by the very system they uphold…. Thank you, Andrewism, for you thoughts expressed so very well. Colonialism is an anti-life that does not simply stop, when local populations take over the the roles within the structures of oppression. Independence is only real when the structures of oppression are overturned and new structures are trialed, critiqued and evolved to restore, or for the first time bring, a fair and just share of means(resources) to all who are willing to make their world a better place…. Thanks again, and peace to you too..

[@FrogHarlot4708]

Eyo nice! Lookin forward to seeing decolonizer rhetoric get more platformed on the online left. Like seriously the mainstream online left has sorely deficient analysis of colonialism so stuff like yours is so so important ^^

[@im-here]

I was just thinking about your channel, great timing!

[@Zephlett]

I love your message. I also especially love the works of art you're using to illustrate your work. Thank you for this important work.

[@HelloMyNamelsBanana]

don't forget Japan

[@aletheiaverite]

2:43 why is Ethiopia grey?? It wasn't colonised

[@king23445]

No which is why many African countries take their colours because it was the only African country not colonized. Historians tend to view what happened with Italy as an occupation but it was too short to set up any institutions. Ethiopia also have a very interesting history with Portugal

[@ShockArcl1te]

For the algorithm to get more eyes on this.

[@k98killer]

A few disconnected thoughts: 1) what is the rhe composition of the minimum viable state? I think it would need to contain mechanisms for which there is broad consensus for the defense of the people against aggression, but I'm not sure how to constrain it to this. Perhaps some technological development regarding decentralized communication/computation systems (not blockchain) could be helpful. 2) what is the optimal pace for social revolution? The examples of rapid social revolution that I am aware of seem to be almost universally bloody and violent, but it would be hard to measure progress on the scale of multiple generations since few would be around to witness it in totality. 3) on the topic of names, would it perhaps be a profitable strategy for married couples to take on a new, traditional name to displace their colonized family names as part of their marriage ceremony? Perhaps they would retain their old names as middle names for the sake of historical continuity while still dedicating themselves to social liberation. (I'm just spitballing here. My heritage is a thorough mix of immigrants and indigenous, but the only name I bear which may have been affected by colonialism is Hill, which was the surname of my mother's father whose grandfather escaped slavery to join the Union army during the Civil War, so there is no shame in bearing the name.)

[@cometogether]

phenomenal analysis and video as always. the idea that we live in a post-colonial society while wealth derived from colonialism is still used to control "formerly" colonized people is absolutely ridiculous

[@handleisGG]

Me too , i defo think its still ongoing

[@cr4ckp1dgeon]

The official name for the "Puget Sound" of the Pacific Northwest is actually the Salish Sea, even by law, but people still choose to use the term Sound. Come on people, if for no other reason, it's a lot cooler of a name!

[@huntergreen779]

didn't know that! thanks

[@Rita-bf1xe]

There are indeed still colonies, such as the so-called "Overseas territories" of France and the Netherlands, because really why do you have to justify occupying a place in another continent that already had its own indigenous people - in addition to the ones "part of" the US, Spain, Denmark, the UK. And Palestine and Western Sahara, of course. And this is just talking about it geography.

[@XMR02R]

The Spanish were there since eternity Maybe the Turks should move from Anatolia then What is your logic?

[@hobocode]

i always learn so much. thank you.

[@juliettedemaso7588]

We need to HARD discuss the role of academia in this, of how enlightenment era fields of expertise (utterly lionized, banal, and entrenched now) use the data they created arbitrarily, to favor themselves, and it’s is still in play. Implying ignorance, bumpkinism, constantly staging social binaries between educated and not. This is allowing the biggest most subversive terrifying wave of medicalized, tech facilitated, disorder based, consulting firm driven elitist surveillance capitalism yet. The methods, the “stats”, the hierarchy. Labeling and naming is necessary for hierarchical Anglo-colonizer power. Denying agency is an open constant at every level of wasp society. It’s gotten worse.

[@94Pattycake]

Im pretty tired of non-South Africans utilizing the imagery of Nelson Mandela. This is directly for Andrew and a demand from me personally that has two options. Change the thumb nail and remove the image of Nelson Mandela or Do a follow up video of South Africa's Mafia State/State Capture. All the posturing aside, I say the above and bellow with Kindness. Nelsons Mandela is a martyr for the ANC (African National Congress) present Mafia State. It insidious how it came about and involves the Political orginization/ANC using the cause that Nelson Mandela has championed for as a weapon against the people he fought for. People are living in worse poverty. Youth Unemployment is above 50%, which has lead to ballooning Crime as people have no other survival options. But to makes this worse. The same ANC who beat apartheid has literally "lost" more money than can be calculated. This in the Trillions of Dollars missing from our country (5 Million Dollars was found under the presidents couch) because the entire political system allows for wasting state funds on literally nothing. Wealth Inequality is at record highs with white households still owning the majority of everything in the country whilst be under 20% of the population , under served communities are not improving, we are currently sitting in consistent blackouts known as load shedding which is the result of over 20 years of theft into the public electricity provider. It is a nightmare here right now and the government keeps pulling American(they arent the only ones who do this) tactics and prints money to fix the problem and it is always going "missing". This following a 4 - 5 year investigation that has no results. My point, engaging in Nelson Mandela related content is disingenuous if you do not mention the present state of what he fought for. What he fought for, failed. And people who claim to have fought with him are stealing from the mouths Mandela fought to feed forever. Cause that was the dream of my country South Africa. And im tired of youtubers speaking about Madiba without highlighting what has become of his dream, instead of what it should of and still could be. I understand you like a dead dude, but there are people who are alive now! who need that energy. Placeholder while I finish the video

[@McubedJ]

What are your thoughts about language (I realize you didn't specifically mention it, but I may be wrong)? I assume the elimination of widespread and global languages like English (simply that it would fall under the category of culture assimilation) would be beneficial in taking back a people's culture.

[@Andrewism]

I don't think elimination is necessary, but rather the allowance of continued linguistic evolution. English, French, and Spanish already have many creoles that are either developing into their own distinct languages or being assimilated into the standard. I don't think we need to bring back dead languages in order to decolonise, but i would like to see linguistic diversity flourish.

[@McubedJ]

@@Andrewism awesome, totally makes sense. I was also going to say it is nice that we are able to be so interconnected globally but still have our cultural influences over our own languages!

[@stekra3159]

@@Andrewism In a decolonised world rather than everyone learning a Lingua franca whether the most popular like English or a artificial one like Esperanto everyone soud just learn at least 3 languages to be able to translate for others.

[@anarchosnowflakist786]

once again, thanks for your work ! great video

[@thegrumpypanda1016]

Andrew babes if you haven't already read the shock doctrine by Naomi Klein. It makes all this clear. Also another amazing video keep it up.

[@yabbadabbapodcast123]

thank you so much for these videos!!

[@mayconbenedito5958]

Nice vídeo , Andrew. Just one thing: I'm Brazilian and here we learb that Brasil was a explotation colony

[@VayliraKayvex]

Great video ❤️

[@solderpunks]

Your thoughts are powerful. And I resonate with the thought of raising the idea to stand FOR something. The idea of coming together with people and defining life continuously new and asking: what needs to happen (politically f.e.) to be able to live the life the we (local people) want. As an example: Mining is a big issue for postcolonial imbalances. Marginalized Countries suffer from ecological and social issues to mine raw materials for the capitalistic transformations of past colonizing countries, like energy and mobility transformations towards E-cars. All this stuff is still happening! A lot!

[@empatheticrambo4890]

This is the thing that I really didn’t understand as a “moderate liberal,” and am still trying to learn about. I didn’t understand how much change needed to be done, not just symbols like names of locations, which hide the systemic issues

[@princeofchetarria5375]

Would colonialism in the Caribbean be an example of both exploitation and surrogate (and even to an extend settler) colonialism since Africans and Indians were forcibly or coercively brought to the land and now make a majority in many of the countries

[@mrduckman225]

Hello comrade, JTs video lead me here. Great video the act of decolonization I feel is the first and largest step we need to move to a more free and more equatable society.

[@RoamingTofu]

Yo! Happy to see this upload! Just letting you and every other fan who sees this comment know, I logged on to KZbin today to see myself unsubscribed from your channel; I don’t know why or how this happened! It may have been a glitch, or a “glitch”, from KZbin, so other viewers should make sure whether this is the case, but I never ceased subscribing to this channel.

[@robertterrell7057]

As a black person who lived in the hood. I'm iffy on this. Like how do African American people fit in this,( I was particularly satisfied with what was said in the video) We were brought over as slaves we are kinda colonizers. But, for the most part I agree with a wealth distribution but there isn't a single person or system I trust to distribute wealth fairly based off who profited off of colonizing. Like, the retardicans always go "BLACK SLAVE OWNERS LOL" should black people whose family line had slaves be decolonized?

[@gamewrit0058]

My understanding is it's not about forcing all people to return to the lands of their ancestors, but building ever-evolving decentralized, compassionate and cooperative communities - alongside our current authoritarian socioeconomic systems until the current status quo is fully dismantled and replaced. I think the section starting at 14:47, along with the 3 videos mentioned there explain it better than I can: The Commons Land Back The Library Economy

[@robertterrell7057]

@@gamewrit0058 I get maybe building NEW communities but as soon as I FEEL stuff like "colored only" or you need a 32 n me test to enter I get mad turned off. I have those videos in my watch later but this shit makes me sad. Like the current state of African America. Although we have come a long as way.

[@gamewrit0058]

@@robertterrell7057 Absolutely. 💯

[@sungabriel3969]

Can you share resources on African decolonization struggles @andrewism ?

[@lberg9735]

Excellent video, mostly commenting for the algorithm, but I did a double take at one of the credited artists at 5:30 because I read his name as George Carlin.

[@Veredek]

Hey Andrew, love your stuff! I was wondering if there is a way to find the images and paintings you use in your videos?

[@dracodragon105]

I think to myself "hm, I should check of Andrew has any new videos" and low and behold, one hours ago. This video. Lol

[@el-sd8oo]

Israeli settler colonial violence apologists in the comment section be like "israel is not settler colonial" meanwhile israelis themselves revel in racist colonialism, claim to be part of the west, all the while anti-colonial movements near universally support their palestinian comrades.

[@fleaboy69]

this is the most goated channel on yt

[@liam3284]

Feels like a continuity between the enclosure of the commons, and enclosure of imperial posession.

[@k98killer]

South Africa is a bit more nuanced. The Boers were settlers, yes, but the Voortrekkers were not there to displace the indigenous peoples. They trekked inwards to escape the British rule of Cape Town and set up their own tribes and republics, making deals and treaties with the neighboring tribal nations. (There is a case pending regarding a land claim based upon the historical sale of tribal lands to the Boers by a Zulu king.) The Brits then waged a genocidal campaign of subjugation in South Africa, including the Boers as peoples to be subjugated, after the discovery of gold ore in the lands of the Boer republics. Last time I looked into it, I read that the Brits killed more Boer women and children in concentration camps than they killed black Africans. The Voortrekkers who adopted a semi-nomadic lifestyle may have had some commonalities with indigenous people, though the original Dutch settlers were total bastards, and the Boer republics were established partly out of disgust for the British decree freeing all slaves. (Dutch East Indies Company is the perfect example of the union of capitalism and colonialism in the extractive pursuit of greed. Quite the disaster.) Edit: I reread the history and corrected some factual errors in my original comment.

[@LexYeen]

Excellent video. No notes. 🤘

[@Thorax420]

fantastic video 🙏🏻

[@mr.oliverlaw8863]

Another Banger

[@civilizationkills3138]

Good video good work

[@Dantalliumsolarium]

Yah like- we’ve barely begun decolonization it’s

[@aliencreature2842]

Amazing video my dude, that's a important topic, i have always thinking about how to build a new post colonial society, but there is always the cultural impact of the colonialist legacy, is something deep even in our blood. In my personal view, it's impossible for return to a pré-colonial scenario, but it's possible to create a new society, something new that can be born from destruction, and the ashes of these capitalistic empires... But again, it's difficult to imagine this new world. (sorry for the bad english is not my first language) Greetings from Brazil O/

[@NetanyahooWarCriminal]

We need a lot ☹️

[@Flanclanman]

Banger

[@squizzobaby2563]

This is such a good video. Decolonization, at least in my limited experience, seems to have been almost monopolized by ML voices and figures, even in an era when the success of many so-called ML postcolonial governments is very much in question. Really appreciate this video and the idea that the only way to truly decolonize is to recreate the structures and social relations that were present before colonization/will allow for a liberatory future

[@the_great_plague]

He specifically said that returning to pre-colonial structures was "undesirable".....but I agree with you

[@Theballonist]

Nice one.

[@OlympiaCHUD]

Try it homie. Yt boy don’t play

[@nicholasduncan1594]

Every Andrewism video is a gift

[@goblin3359]

Thank you for this. I was unsure what you meant by 'surrogate colonialism' so I really appreciate this breakdown with such succinct definitions.

[@theactorjohnlarroquette]

Your accent sounds so much like a New England Pilgrim I never noticed that. It’s grim but it makes sense that a British/Scottish merchant class accent from the 1600s would influence Caribbean English accents

[@guyfauks2576]

he sounds more afro-brit

[@theactorjohnlarroquette]

​@@guyfauks2576 more? So ur familiar with a new england pilgrim accent lmao or did u just want to opine

[@guyfauks2576]

@@theactorjohnlarroquette yes, yes i am

[@Never_Raines]

I don't want to be that guy... but Palestinians weren't indigenous there... I'm not saying just up add plopping a group there was right, or that, that group has done a good job, but let's not forget that the ottoman empire was very much an empire that colonized and imposed all the standard empire style discriminations... as well as that special bit of land having changed hands so many times.... the Palestinians just had only been in full control of it for less than a thousand years, they hadn't even been present before then. So I don't think they meet either of the indigenous definitions from your other vid...

[@caesiumtable-baron7314]

Fortunately for you, 'that guy,' would say this sort of thing not constructively, but destructively, to detail the conversation in an ultimately shallow way, because they actually care about neither subject. ('Whatbout the Irish,' when discussing the transatlantic slave trade, and what not.)

[@Never_Raines]

@@caesiumtable-baron7314 people bring the irish into that...? they where always better off once they got to leave ireland since they got to no longer be near the english lol...

[@caesiumtable-baron7314]

@@Never_Raines Yeah, not to mention that they were not enslaved like the African slaves were. Instead they got "indentured servitude." It was far from a walk in the park, but it was likely far better than being straight up enslaved.

[@Fk.Apartheid]

Palestinian DNA can be traced back to the canaanites. They are most definitely indigenous to that land.

[@travisx75851]

That is the island of Saint Lucia, not Sumatra at 7:31.