Cold war Quote by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
““There was a time when slavery was good. It did its work, and when it finished creating capital it withered and died a natural death. Colonialism was good. It spread industrial culture of shared resources and markets. But to revive colonialism now would be an error. There was a time when the cold war dicated our every calculation in domestic and international relations. It is over. We are in the post-cold war era, and our calculations are affected by the laws and needs of globalization. The history of capital can be summed up in one phrase: in search of freedom. Freedom to expand, and now it has the chance at the entire globe for its theater. It needs a democratic space to move as its own logic demands.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Post‑Cold War Economic Thought, 2020
The passage argues that past oppressive systems once served economic purposes, but reviving them now would be misguided; true freedom requires democratic, global cooperation.
In simple terms: Old systems once worked but now must be replaced by democratic global freedom.
Key Takeaway
Promote democratic, inclusive global structures.
Themes
history
economics
politics
freedom
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
essay
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy analysis
- academic debate
- international relations
- economic planning
Key Concepts
colonialism
capitalism
globalization
democratic theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we ensure freedom without repeating past oppressions?
- What democratic mechanisms best support global equity?
A Different Perspective
Reviving past models ignores new complexities and power imbalances.
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