by Dev Chandrasekhar Courtesy Countercurrent.org

In the decades since the formal end of colonialism, nations across the Global South have proudly waved the banner of independence, self-reliance, decolonization, and now—deglobalization. The rhetoric of national empowerment, however, generally masks the perpetuation of colonial-era economic structures and cultural impositions.

Local elites are replacing foreign powers as the primary beneficiaries and arbiters of national identity.” Ironical, because many of these elites have profited from the earlier decades of globalization, having formed international connections and amassed wealth through global networks. Their calls for economic nationalism and cultural authenticity often serve as a smokescreen for maintaining their privileged positions simultaneously within both local and global power structures. This effectively perpetuates and reinforces systems of inequality and suppression of local populations, all under the guise of decolonization.

Congo: Crushing Poverty amid Resource Wealth

The Democratic Republic of Congo presents perhaps the starkest example of this phenomenon. Despite its vast mineral wealth – it’s crucial for modern technology– the country remains one of the poorest in the world. The push for Congolisation” of the mining industry has largely resulted in opaque deals between politically connected individuals and multinational corporations, Few benefits trickle down to the Congolese people.

Congo’s situation epitomizes several key issues:

• The exploitation of natural resources under the guise of national development
• The concentration of wealth among a new class of elites, rather than broad-based development
• Continued partnerships with multinational corporations, despite claims of increased local control
• The ongoing marginalization of the most disadvantaged communities, particularly in mining regions

Bolivia: Economic Nationalism leads to Political Elites

Even in Bolivia, where an indigenous-led government under Evo Morales explicitly championed decolonization, the reality has fallen short of the rhetoric. The nationalization of key industries was hailed as a victory for sovereignty, but it appears to have primarily benefited a new class of indigenous and mestizo political elites. Export-oriented, elite-profiting extraction continues to be prioritized over the interests of local communities.

Bolivia’s experience highlights:

• The use of nationalist rhetoric to justify policies that primarily benefit a select few
• The challenges of balancing national development with the rights and interests of indigenous populations
• The complexities of resource nationalism in a globalized economy

India: Contradictory Narratives and Appropriations

India, often hailed as the world’s largest democracy, provides a particularly complex example of the challenges of decolonization. The country’s Make in India” campaign, launched in 2014, was ostensibly aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing and creating jobs. In reality, it has disproportionately benefited a few large old-economy” conglomerates.

Beyond economic policies, India’s decolonization narrative is fraught with contradictions:

• The New Education Policy (NEP), introduced in 2020, claims to promote a more holistic and culturally rooted approach to learning. However, critics argue that it reinforces existing inequalities and promotes a particular ideological vision of Indian culture and history.
• The push for Hindi as a national language, despite India’s rich linguistic diversity, and the proposed Uniform Civil Code, while presented as a step towards national unity and gender equality, risks overriding the diversity that reflect India’s multicultural heritage.
• The overhaul of India’s criminal procedure codes introduces new draconian measures which clearly limit civil liberties and bypass due process—a recurring theme going back to Pre-Independence India.
• The takeover of forests in central and eastern India and the Andaman Islands, ostensibly for development and national security, threatens the millennia-old livelihoods and cultures of indigenous populations.

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True decolonization means embracing plurality and equity

Tying these diverse cases together is a common pattern—of local elites leveraging the rhetoric of decolonization and national development to consolidate their own power and wealth, often at the expense of broader societal interests. The challenge, then, is to move beyond surface-level changes and performative nationalism towards genuine structural reforms. This requires not just replacing foreign control with local faces, but reimagining economic systems that prioritize broad-based development and true community empowerment.

We must hold our leaders accountable – in Kinshasa, La Paz, Abuja, or New Delhi — and demand more than just the appearance of change. For genuine decolonization and equitable development, we must insist on policies that respect diversity, protect the rights of marginalized communities, and ensure that the benefits of development are shared equitably among all citizens—no matter in which country..

Dev Chandrasekhar advises decision-makers on Big Picture narratives and strategy