Walter Benjamin, colonialism and nature

Abstract

In this article, we highlight how Walter Benjamin relates his critiques of colonialism to his ecological concerns. Here, we present the work and thought of Walter Benjamin from the critical perspective of modernity, colonialism, and the destruction of nature. Firstly, we will address Benjamin's conception as a thinker who navigates “against the current of modernity”, challenging dominant narratives and offering a critical view of progress. Next, we examine how Benjamin understands colonialism, highlighting the “history of the defeated” and revealing the devastating consequences of imperialism for colonized peoples. Finally, we discuss the concept of “unlimited pessimism” in Benjamin. This pessimism is not merely a negative view of the world, but a way to organize critical thought in the face of the devastation caused by capitalist modernity and colonialism. For Benjamin, pessimism is a necessary stance to confront the illusions of progress, as only through a pessimistic analysis it is possible to recognize the gravity of the destruction of nature and traditional ways of life. Pessimism, therefore, is organized as a tool of resistance, rejecting naive optimism and proposing a darker yet more realistic understanding of the consequences of unrestrained development. This article thus connects Benjamin's pessimistic view to current ecological crises, suggesting that recognizing the damage caused by modernity is the first step toward building a new ethics regarding nature.