The Wretched of the Earth

The Wretched of the Earth

by

Frantz Fanon

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Made up of the urban proletariat, the national bourgeoisie is the ruling class of colonial society and the developing nation. The national bourgeoisie live Westernized lives, and they are in constant conflict with the peasant masses, with whom they have nothing in common. After the exit of a colonial power, the national bourgeoisie slips into the place of the colonists and exploits the peasant masses politically and economically. The national bourgeoisie have limited experience and little political wherewithal, and they stand to lose everything through decolonization. They support dictatorships and have zero intention of helping the peasant masses to rise from poverty, widespread hunger, and illiteracy. The national bourgeoisie are wholly damaging to a developing nation, which cannot expect to progress and prosper until the national bourgeoisie are stripped of their ruling power.

The National Bourgeoisie Quotes in The Wretched of the Earth

The The Wretched of the Earth quotes below are all either spoken by The National Bourgeoisie or refer to The National Bourgeoisie. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Colonialism, Racism, and Violence Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2: Grandeur and Weakness of Spontaneity Quotes

The great mistake, the inherent flaw of most of the political parties in the underdeveloped regions has been traditionally to address first and foremost the most politically conscious elements: the urban proletariat, the small tradesmen and the civil servants, i.e., a tiny section of the population which represents barely more than one percent.

Related Characters: The National Bourgeoisie, The Peasant Masses, The Urban Proletariat
Page Number: 64
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 3: The Trials and Tribulations... Quotes

Since the bourgeoisie has neither the material means nor adequate intellectual resources such as engineers and technicians, it limits its claims to the takeover of businesses and firms previously held by the colonists. The national bourgeoisie replaces the former European settlers as doctors, lawyers, tradesmen, agents, dealers, and shipping agents. For the dignity of the country and to safeguard its own interests, it considers it its duty to occupy all these positions. Henceforth it demands that every major foreign company must operate through them, if it wants to remain in the country or establish trade.

Related Characters: The Colonists/Colonialists, The National Bourgeoisie, The Urban Proletariat
Page Number: 100
Explanation and Analysis:

The struggle against the bourgeoisie in the underdeveloped countries is far from being simply theoretical. It is not a question of deciphering the way history has judged and condemned it. The national bourgeoisie in the underdeveloped countries should not be combated because it threatens to curb the overall, harmonious development of the nation. It must be resolutely opposed because literally it serves no purpose. Mediocre in its winnings, in its achievements and its thinking, this bourgeoisie attempts to mask its mediocrity by ostentatious projects for individual prestige, chromium-plated American cars, vacations on the French Riviera and weekends in neon-lit nightclubs.

Related Characters: The National Bourgeoisie
Page Number: 120
Explanation and Analysis:
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The National Bourgeoisie Quotes in The Wretched of the Earth

The The Wretched of the Earth quotes below are all either spoken by The National Bourgeoisie or refer to The National Bourgeoisie. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Colonialism, Racism, and Violence Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2: Grandeur and Weakness of Spontaneity Quotes

The great mistake, the inherent flaw of most of the political parties in the underdeveloped regions has been traditionally to address first and foremost the most politically conscious elements: the urban proletariat, the small tradesmen and the civil servants, i.e., a tiny section of the population which represents barely more than one percent.

Related Characters: The National Bourgeoisie, The Peasant Masses, The Urban Proletariat
Page Number: 64
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 3: The Trials and Tribulations... Quotes

Since the bourgeoisie has neither the material means nor adequate intellectual resources such as engineers and technicians, it limits its claims to the takeover of businesses and firms previously held by the colonists. The national bourgeoisie replaces the former European settlers as doctors, lawyers, tradesmen, agents, dealers, and shipping agents. For the dignity of the country and to safeguard its own interests, it considers it its duty to occupy all these positions. Henceforth it demands that every major foreign company must operate through them, if it wants to remain in the country or establish trade.

Related Characters: The Colonists/Colonialists, The National Bourgeoisie, The Urban Proletariat
Page Number: 100
Explanation and Analysis:

The struggle against the bourgeoisie in the underdeveloped countries is far from being simply theoretical. It is not a question of deciphering the way history has judged and condemned it. The national bourgeoisie in the underdeveloped countries should not be combated because it threatens to curb the overall, harmonious development of the nation. It must be resolutely opposed because literally it serves no purpose. Mediocre in its winnings, in its achievements and its thinking, this bourgeoisie attempts to mask its mediocrity by ostentatious projects for individual prestige, chromium-plated American cars, vacations on the French Riviera and weekends in neon-lit nightclubs.

Related Characters: The National Bourgeoisie
Page Number: 120
Explanation and Analysis: