The Discourse of Colonial Enterprise and Its Representation of the Other Through the Expanded Cultural Critique

Abstract

Within colonial capitalism it is not just wealth, raw materials, and trade balance that shifts from the periphery to the centre. This shift is preceded, accompanied, and followed by a powerful and pervasive discourse event. I name this discourse event “British colonial enterprise” and its binary half “the discursive devaluation of native labour and culture.”1 Colonial historiography and literature mark this discourse event by inscribing into language the supra-valuation of British colonial enterprise and the devaluation of native culture and work practices. The supra-valuation of enterprise is made possible through making indigenous work and play appear inherently unproductive and valueless. Enterprise depends on the following binary oppositions: colonial enterprise names the industriousness and productive labour of empire building; it is a discourse that represents itself as primarily oriented towards work, even play within enterprise is oriented towards work and is a means of learning the rules of work; the binary half of the discourse is indigenous work and play, described as wasteful and unproductive exercises in valueless activity. The discourse of enterprise designates indigenous work habits, cast of mind, physiognomy, habits of work and play as primitive, childish, and pre-modern.2