The capitalistic man was birthed by the invention of agriculture. He not only subjugated nature but also women and children. 'Value' which is actually subjective, started becoming more defined by him and imposed on the society. As tribes got converted to families, women and land began to be owned. Only that which could be used as a means of exchange and thus, quantified could be seen as valuable. Certain forms of humans were less valuable and thus, some humans, were less equal. So, the 'myths' or 'agreements' created all over the world, may have brought civilization but also corruption. Corruption because, some things became sacred and some profane, some humans important, others less important and nature was meant to serve man just as the earth was the center of the solar system. This is why Science and spirituality go hand in hand. They are logical and beyond the man-made myths. However, science is always catching up. :D Gossip fueled the myths and fostered groups like countries, religions and castes. This created class consciousness. To get man's rights met, he needs group advocacy for the same. What do children do? By the time most of them realize things, they are adults.
So, just the way feminists say, 'personal is political', man stayed the same, on a global as well as in the smallest social unit. Below, I show how colonial mentality is quite similar to certain forms of parenting. Because the innocent ones are the easiest victims of a corrupted man.
Many scholars and theorists have drawn parallels between certain forms of parenting and colonialism, emphasizing how power dynamics and control can suppress individual autonomy and development. Although all these thinkers do not explicitly equate parenting with colonialism, their analyses of power, control, and oppression provide a framework to understand how authoritarian and controlling parenting practices can mirror colonial dynamics. Following are some notable thinkers who have explored these ideas:
1. Paulo Freire
Freire’s concept of the "oppressor-oppressed" relationship in education can be applied to parenting. He discusses how oppressive structures inhibit growth and autonomy, similar to how authoritative parenting can stifle a child's development and independence. His notable work is titled 'Pedagogy of the Oppressed'.
2. Bell Hooks
Her key work 'All About Love: New Visions', Bell discusses how authoritarian parenting mirrors broader societal structures of domination and control. She emphasizes the need for love and nurturing in parenting rather than control and suppression.
3. Alice Miller
Miller in his works like 'For Your Own Good: Hidden Cruelty in Child-Rearing and the Roots of Violence' critiques traditional authoritarian parenting practices, comparing them to oppressive systems. She argues that such practices can have long-term detrimental effects on children, similar to the impacts of colonial oppression.
4. Frantz Fanon
Although Fanon primarily focuses on the psychology of colonization, his ideas about the internalization of oppression can be extended to family dynamics. Authoritarian parenting can be seen as a microcosm of colonial dynamics, where parental control suppresses a child’s identity and autonomy.
5. Michel Foucault
Foucault’s analysis of power, surveillance, and discipline in society can be applied to parenting. The family can be seen as a site of power dynamics where children are disciplined and controlled in ways that echo broader societal mechanisms of control and domination. 'Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison' is one of his literray contributions.
6. Adrienne Rich
In 'Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution', Rich explores the institution of motherhood and how societal expectations impose oppressive structures on women. Her analysis can be extended to understand how these structures impact children within the family, particularly in terms of control and lack of autonomy.
7. Gloria Anzaldúa
Anzaldúa’s exploration of identity, oppression, and cultural expectations can be related to parenting. She discusses how cultural and familial expectations can be oppressive, limiting individual autonomy and personal growth.
The works of these thinkers encourage a more nurturing, respectful, and autonomy-promoting approach to relationships, whether in education, family, or society at large. Change needs to happen at all levels. Unless man changes, victims will continue to stay victims of victims and the cycle shall never end.