Vagrancy
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| - | '''''The Wretched of the Earth''''' ([[French language|French]]: ''Les Damnés de la Terre'', first published 1961) is [[Frantz Fanon]]'s most famous work, written during and regarding the [[Algeria]]n struggle for independence from [[Colonialism|colonial]] rule. As a psychiatrist, Fanon explored the psychological effect of colonisation on the psyche of a nation as well as its broader implications for building a movement for [[decolonization]]. | + | A '''vagrant''' is a person in a situation of [[poverty]], who wanders from place to place without a [[home]] or regular [[employment]] or [[income]]. Many [[town]]s in the [[Developed World]] have [[Homeless shelter|shelters]] for vagrants. |
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| - | A controversial introduction to the text by [[Jean-Paul Sartre]] presents the thesis as an advocacy of violence (which Sartre has also examined in his then-recent [[Critique of Dialectical Reason]]). This focus derives from the book’s opening chapter ‘Concerning Violence’ which is a caustic indictment of colonialism and its legacy. It discusses violence as a means of liberation and a catharsis to subjugation. It also details the violence of colonialism as a process itself. [[Homi Bhabha]] argues that Sartre's opening comments have lead to a limited approach to the text that focuses on the promotion of violence. | + | |
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| - | Further reading can find a thorough critique of [[nationalism]] and [[imperialism]] while also developing to cover areas such as [[mental health]] and the role of [[intellectuals]] in [[revolution]]ary situations. Fanon goes into great detail explaining that revolutionary groups should look to the [[lumpenproletariat]] for the force needed to expel colonists. The lumpenproletariat in traditional [[Marxist]] theories are considered the lowest, most degraded stratum of the proletariat, especially criminals, [[Vagrancy (people)|vagrants]], and the unemployed, who lacked [[class consciousness]]. Fanon uses the term to refer to those inhabitants of colonized countries who are not involved in industrial production, particularly [[peasants]] living outside the cities. He argues that only this group, unlike the industrial proletariat, has sufficient independence from the colonists to successfully make a revolution against them. | + | |
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| - | Also important is Fanon's view of the role of language and how it molds the position of "[[native|natives]]", or those victimized by colonization. Fanon's ''The Wretched of the Earth'' has become a handbook for any and all political leaders faced with any type of decolonization. It is still read in [[the Pentagon]] today as advice on dealing with the conflict in Iraq. There are two different English translations in publication; the most recent, by Richard Philcox, is more well-received by scholars but widely regarded as major news by critics. | + | |
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| - | The original title of the book is an allusion to the opening words of ''[[The Internationale]]''. | + | |
| + | Vagrancy was a [[crime]] in some [[European countries]], but most of these [[laws]] have been abandoned. Laws against vagrancy in the [[United States]] have partly been invalidated as violative of the [[due process]] clauses of the U.S. Constitution. However, the FBI report on crime in the United States for 2005 lists 33,227 vagrancy violations. In legal terminology, a person with a source of income is not a vagrant, even if he/she is homeless. | ||
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Revision as of 08:06, 22 September 2008
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A vagrant is a person in a situation of poverty, who wanders from place to place without a home or regular employment or income. Many towns in the Developed World have shelters for vagrants.
Vagrancy was a crime in some European countries, but most of these laws have been abandoned. Laws against vagrancy in the United States have partly been invalidated as violative of the due process clauses of the U.S. Constitution. However, the FBI report on crime in the United States for 2005 lists 33,227 vagrancy violations. In legal terminology, a person with a source of income is not a vagrant, even if he/she is homeless.
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Vagrancy" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
