Battle of Algiers Analysis

The Battle of Algiers, released in 1966, depicts the incredibly violent battle between the colonized people of Algeria and the French government. The film showcases the horrors that were inflicted upon the Algerian people as the French tried to maintain control over the prized colony, and it further illuminates the unfortunate realities of colonialism. Colonialism and imperialism contribute to western ethnocentrism in terms of religion and culture, and the bias can still be observed today.            

The Battle of Algiers is an extremely powerful movie and the violent scenes in the film criticize colonialism and imperialism. The story follows the struggles of the FLN and the organization’s attempts to gain independence from France. Many died in pursuit of freedom, and both sides committed horrible acts in the name of their respected cause. In the novel The Wretched of the Earth, author Franz Fanon presents the idea that colonization will inevitably become violent as the colonized seek freedom from oppression. Violence will never be avoided in a colonial society, and in Fanon’s opinion, it is an appropriate response to the atrocities being committed by the ruling body (The Wretched of the Earth). The hidden effects of colonialism are often more insidious than the outright violence that can occur. Historically, Europe colonized territories to gain control of the region’s resources and wealth. Europe would often mask its true intentions and instead claim that they were bringing “salvation” and “civilization” to the indigenous people they colonized.  Europe’s inability to understand the culture of foreign peoples gave them the supposed right to colonize them. Edward Said’s idea of orientalism perfectly encapsulates the actions of France in Algeria. Said states that biases within western nations become justifications for colonizing the east, and that the idea of religious “salvation” is really a thinly veiled plot to gain power and control (An Introduction to Orientalism). At the time of the Battle of Algiers, France was a Christian nation and Algeria was a Muslim one. The Muslim people were treated poorly by the French and their religion was not respected. France felt it was culturally and religiously superior to the people of Algeria, thus it swooped in to “enlighten” the Algerians. The Algerians grew tired of the oppressive French government and they eventually sought freedom. The quest for freedom was violent in nature, and both sides were barbarous towards one another. Nevertheless, the Algerian people were victorious and eventually gained their freedom from colonization. At the conclusion of the war, the Algerians could participate in their culture and religious beliefs freely. 

            The expression “history is written by the victor” can be applied to colonialism and imperialism. The colonists viewed the colonized as inferior and uncivilized, and this opinion was broadcasted throughout the west. While discussing the work of Edward Said, Keeping it 101 notes that the “people with pens” that attempted to categorize and organize colonized peoples were extremely damaging.  The forced categorization created stereotypes and biases that hurt Eastern and African cultures and societies. At the height of colonialism and imperialism, scholars viewed the world through the lens of western society and the values it upheld. As scholars began travelling to foreign nations, they discovered unique societies and cultures that were very different from their own. All aspects of the foreign cultures were criticized, with a special emphasis on religion. Some eastern religions contain multiple deities, and this concept is completely unfamiliar to Christianity. As Eastern and African religions are very different from western religions, the Christian colonizers in Europe could not understand the principles and ideas. The scholars were unable to appreciate the values of the cultures, and thus condemned the foreign societies, claiming they were uncivilized and primitive. As the unfair appraisals spread, European nations took it as an opportunity to take control of “inferior” societies. 

    It is unfortunate that the lingering effects of colonization and imperialism are still felt in modern society. It is not surprising that this is the case, as the pen is considered mightier than the sword. The colonizers were able to physically subjugate the foreigners, but the dominating effect lasted long after the colony ceased to exist. The former colonies are still suffering from the repercussions of scholarly slander and the stereotypes it formed. Ignorant people still regard Eastern and African culture as less than western culture, and this ethnocentrism stems from the biased reports made during the age of colonialism. Culture and religion must be viewed holistically and without judgement, and studies must be free from personal opinions or beliefs. The colonizers attempted to erase the cultures of those they controlled, and the world is fortunate that they were unsuccessful. 

            Algeria suffered under the oppressive rule of the French, and the nation’s people eventually banded together to save themselves. The Algerians are one of many colonies that regained control of their nation and reinstated their cultural practices. It is important to realize that historical views of cultures and religions outside of the west are often portrayed negatively. Today, religion must be studied through a collection of sources, and bias must be accounted for during any analysis. As the practice of colonialism and imperialism fell out of fashion, the different religions of the world began to be approached with a more open mind. Today, scholars attempt to avoid the biased attitudes that plagued former research. As religion continues to be studied, western and eastern cultures will learn from one another and hopefully come to appreciate the differences between themselves.