Colonialism Quote by Fernand Braudel
![“When the [colonial] contact was violent, in fact, failure was more frequent than success. 'Colonialism' may have triumphed in the past: but today it is an obvious fiasco. And colonialism, typically, is the submergence of one civilisation by another. The conqured always submit to the stronger; but…” quote by Fernand Braudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b15/fernand-braudel-28972_cultural-exchange_when-the-colonial-contact-was-violent-in_217303.jpg)
““When the [colonial] contact was violent, in fact, failure was more frequent than success. 'Colonialism' may have triumphed in the past: but today it is an obvious fiasco. And colonialism, typically, is the submergence of one civilisation by another. The conqured always submit to the stronger; but their submission is merely provisional when civilisations clash. Long periods of enforced coexistence may include concessions or agreements and important, often fruitful, cultural exchange. But the process always has its limits.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Civilization and Capitalism, 15th–18th Century, Fernand Braudel, 1979
Colonial encounters often start violently, leading to frequent failures; cultural exchange can occur but ultimately one civilization dominates, and coexistence has limits.
In simple terms: Colonialism is violent, often fails, and ends with one culture dominating.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of forced cultural dominance.
Themes
colonialism
conflict
cultural exchange
power dynamics
Mood
reflective
critical
serious
Type
analytical
historical
When to use this quote
- historical analysis
- policy making
- education
- media commentary
- international relations
Key Concepts
imperialism
hegemony
assimilation
resistance
Questions to Reflect On
- How do power imbalances shape cultural interactions?
- What can mitigate domination in modern contexts?
A Different Perspective
Even peaceful coexistence can be fragile and temporary.
![“If we do it, if we work to achieve all this [cultural exchange with Japan], we can and should talk about joint efforts toward ensuring international security, and not only in the Far East.” quote by Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/20f/vladimir-putin-261_achieve_if-we-do-it-if-we-work-to-achieve-all-th_860468.jpg)
![“The key problem is to find out why that sector of society of the past, which I would not hesitate to call capitalist, should have lived as if in a bell jar, cut off from the rest; why was it not able to expand and conquer the whole of society?... [Why was it that] a significant rate of capital…” quote by Fernand Braudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/043/fernand-braudel-28972_able_the-key-problem-is-to-find-out-why-that_1776623.jpg)
