Walter Benjamin's Critique Of Violence

A reading of Walter Benjamin’s ‘Critique of Violence’ raises some question. What is the purpose of violence? What does it mean for modernity in terms of coloniality or postcoloniality? Does mythical violence lead to divine violence? Are the two intersected? Who owns what property – including land among other things? And is Critique of Violence applicable in postcolonial study? These questions are what this paper is pursuing. The main argument in this paper is that violence is about power-making and boundary-setting. In his writing on violence, Benjamin presents an assessment of the dynamics of violence between individuals and the state, ultimately what divine violence brings about in the society. He also teases the possibilities of a tolerant, perhaps convivial society and the diffusion of social powers for the benefit of everyone.
Benjamin’s concept of violence is applicable universally because violence is intrinsically linked to violence. For example, sexual misconduct is law posting, and criminality is proto-state formation. Given that Benjamin’s ‘violence’ is very broad and could be put in different categories, this paper posits that colonial violence and a shift towards modernity in colonial society are part of what Benjamin is dancing around in his work. All lines, according to Benjamin are global line and from …show more content…
It is plausible that rather than write against colonialism or the Eurocentric view of African society, Achebe explores the convergence of the traditional ‘past’, the colonial present, and the anticipation of the resultant tension in postcolonial Nigeria. The novel signifies no nostalgia for the past, rather, it deals with the complexities of change in the society. The novel echoes Walter Benjamin’s