That any nation state could realistically "decolonize" under the current conditions of the global system/totality (and we've seen how easily "decolonization" rhetoric can be weaponized by imperialist).
Cuba decolonized during the revolution and Castro, very wisely, figured out to really complete the decolonization they must also pursue a full socialist proletariate revolution as well. Thats pretty much the best case scenario for decolonization, I agree. Itll be way harder to pull off today.
Technically yes Cuba "decolonized" immediately after Batista was overthrown. But in practice Cuba's "decolonization" process was long and difficult as in reality "decolonization" for Cuba mostly meant dealing with the inequalities and prejudices black Cubans faced. It took decades for the revolution to reconcile Cuba's racist society and the racist inclinations of lighter skinned Cubans(most of which was a legacy of colonial plantations and slavery etc) . Of course black Cubans lives improved dramatically immediately after the revolution but full "decolonization" was long and difficult even for Cuba and still ongoing .
For the US at this moment "decolonization politics" is mostly confined within the discourse of anarchist and trotskyist circles who argue for autonomy movements in the US which I'm agnostic about as well as liberal and even neoliberal academia. Honestly my main problem with decolonization rhetoric is how easily it's cooped and frankly how vague it is at times to the point of obfuscation.
Rhetoric around Feminism, and disability rights has also been frequently co-opted for bad ends, but that doesn't mean the left should abandon those values or arguments. Nations in the Global South have pursued decolonization with success over the past century: the DPRK, Sankara's Burkino Faso and revolutionary Cuba to name some examples. They may have not fully achieved decolonization, but the pursuit of its destruction has produced less violent and better societies.
Redwashing has cleary made many understandings of "decolonization" toothless, vague and non-revolutionary, but I would blame put more blame for that on Capital and neoliberal hegemony rather than the left.
Your argument seems similar to those who say that because Socialism is "impossible" to realistically achieve today (particularly in the global North) the left shouldn't pursue it as an idea at all. Settler-colonialism exerts an enormous amount of violence upon Indigenous peoples today and for communists to be consistent it is imperative that they pursue its destruction alongside the interlocking systems of capitalism and imperialism.
I agree it doesn't nor did I at any point try and make the argument that "decolonization" in the general sense isn't integral to building a just society. Did you not actually read what I wrote about Cuba?
Yes, colonialism and western Imperialism have been the defining oppression of global capitalism for most people on the planet and therefore must be at the center of any organizing . A huge failure of the left in the west is that many do not put this fact at the center of their politics . And yes all support to the DPRK, Korea would be unified without the ongoing US occupation and war and RIP Sankara .
It's also worth noting that each example you cited maintained the conventional nation state. Many people who use the term "decolonization" use it in a context that aims to deconstruct the modern concept of a nation or at the very least advocates various forms of separatism/balkanization and or ethnic nationalisms/organizations.
I don't know what "redwashing" is but decolonization is frankly sounding vague coming from yourself as well( though toothless would be too far.) . Again in the USA most people use the term "decolonization" in politics to argue for autonomous movements, outside of that it's often an academic term. Your using the term to basically mean liberation from western imperialism, and overthrowing the shackles of an old racist colonial order, which no one here disagrees with including me. And yes I would blame the terms relative degeneration on capital and neoliberalism as well . I never blamed it on the left.
So in summary yes imo "decolonization" is often a vague euphemism for particular oppressions and issues. Indeed though, the settler colonial country's( USA, Britain, Australia, New Zealand etc) are oppressive and racist and western imperialism must be opposed full stop no exceptions.
That any nation state could realistically "decolonize" under the current conditions of the global system/totality (and we've seen how easily "decolonization" rhetoric can be weaponized by imperialist).
Cuba decolonized during the revolution and Castro, very wisely, figured out to really complete the decolonization they must also pursue a full socialist proletariate revolution as well. Thats pretty much the best case scenario for decolonization, I agree. Itll be way harder to pull off today.
Technically yes Cuba "decolonized" immediately after Batista was overthrown. But in practice Cuba's "decolonization" process was long and difficult as in reality "decolonization" for Cuba mostly meant dealing with the inequalities and prejudices black Cubans faced. It took decades for the revolution to reconcile Cuba's racist society and the racist inclinations of lighter skinned Cubans(most of which was a legacy of colonial plantations and slavery etc) . Of course black Cubans lives improved dramatically immediately after the revolution but full "decolonization" was long and difficult even for Cuba and still ongoing .
For the US at this moment "decolonization politics" is mostly confined within the discourse of anarchist and trotskyist circles who argue for autonomy movements in the US which I'm agnostic about as well as liberal and even neoliberal academia. Honestly my main problem with decolonization rhetoric is how easily it's cooped and frankly how vague it is at times to the point of obfuscation.
Rhetoric around Feminism, and disability rights has also been frequently co-opted for bad ends, but that doesn't mean the left should abandon those values or arguments. Nations in the Global South have pursued decolonization with success over the past century: the DPRK, Sankara's Burkino Faso and revolutionary Cuba to name some examples. They may have not fully achieved decolonization, but the pursuit of its destruction has produced less violent and better societies.
Redwashing has cleary made many understandings of "decolonization" toothless, vague and non-revolutionary, but I would blame put more blame for that on Capital and neoliberal hegemony rather than the left.
Your argument seems similar to those who say that because Socialism is "impossible" to realistically achieve today (particularly in the global North) the left shouldn't pursue it as an idea at all. Settler-colonialism exerts an enormous amount of violence upon Indigenous peoples today and for communists to be consistent it is imperative that they pursue its destruction alongside the interlocking systems of capitalism and imperialism.
I agree it doesn't nor did I at any point try and make the argument that "decolonization" in the general sense isn't integral to building a just society. Did you not actually read what I wrote about Cuba?
Yes, colonialism and western Imperialism have been the defining oppression of global capitalism for most people on the planet and therefore must be at the center of any organizing . A huge failure of the left in the west is that many do not put this fact at the center of their politics . And yes all support to the DPRK, Korea would be unified without the ongoing US occupation and war and RIP Sankara .
It's also worth noting that each example you cited maintained the conventional nation state. Many people who use the term "decolonization" use it in a context that aims to deconstruct the modern concept of a nation or at the very least advocates various forms of separatism/balkanization and or ethnic nationalisms/organizations.
I don't know what "redwashing" is but decolonization is frankly sounding vague coming from yourself as well( though toothless would be too far.) . Again in the USA most people use the term "decolonization" in politics to argue for autonomous movements, outside of that it's often an academic term. Your using the term to basically mean liberation from western imperialism, and overthrowing the shackles of an old racist colonial order, which no one here disagrees with including me. And yes I would blame the terms relative degeneration on capital and neoliberalism as well . I never blamed it on the left.
So in summary yes imo "decolonization" is often a vague euphemism for particular oppressions and issues. Indeed though, the settler colonial country's( USA, Britain, Australia, New Zealand etc) are oppressive and racist and western imperialism must be opposed full stop no exceptions.