ABSTRACT
Decolonization,whichsetsouttochangetheorderofthe world,is,obviously,aprogramofcompletedisorder.Butit cannotcomeasaresultofmagicalpractices,norofanatural shock,norofafriendlyunderstanding.Decolonization,aswe know,isahistoricalprocess:thatistosaythatitcannotbe understood,itcannotbecomeintelligiblenorcleartoitselfexceptintheexactmeasurethatwecandiscernthemovements whichgiveithistoricalformandcontent.Decolonizationisthe meetingoftwoforces,opposedtoeachotherbytheirverynature whichresultsfromandisnourishedbythesituationinthecolonies.Theirfirstencounterwasmarkedbyviolenceandtheir existencetogether-thatistosaytheexploitationofthenative bythesettler-wascarriedonbydintofagreatarrayofbayonets andcannon.Thesettlerandthenativeareoldacquaintances. Infact,thesettlerisrightwhenhespeaksofknowing"them" well.Foritisthesettlerwhohasbroughtthenativeintoexistenceandwhoperpetuateshisexistence.Thesettlerowesthefact ofhisveryexistence,thatistosayhisproperty,tothecolonial system.
