What is Decolonization? - Part 1

"Decolonize Explained" w/Dr. Bruce Gilley

What is Decolonization? Part I.  Originally when people said, "let's decolonize," what they meant was, "let's fulfill the aims of becoming autonomous and self-governing and free." And everyone was on board with that. Indeed, American decolonization was a perfect example of that. And that was the program all along. From the standpoint of Britain, the timing was different, but decolonization meant time to become self-governing using these institutions and these rules we've inherited (from the British Empire, in the case of the United States). And to "decolonize" meant to become fully British in the sense of becoming a democratic and liberal people. So, when people started to talk about decolonizing other things, what they really meant was letting those other spheres of life, whether it's education or business or culture, become authentic, self-governing, free, and democratic in their own sense, in their own sphere. That was a program that everyone was on board with and that's the way that we thought of decolonization—until recently.