Walter D.

Mignolo
The Enduring Enchantment:
(Or the Epistemic Privilege of Modernity
and Where to Go from Here)
Sauialh Dulos invitation to paiticipato in
this colloction callod ny attontion to onduiing
onchantnonts that, cioatod ly tho soll-doning
discouiso ol nodoinity, acquiio an ontological
dinonsion loyond tho discouiso itsoll. Modoi-
nity has, in thoso onduiing onchantnonts,
a doullo iolo. On tho ono hand, it is pait
ol a soiios ol oppositions (nodoinity[tiadition,
colony[nodoinity and, on tho othoi, nodoinity
nanos tho paiadign in which tho onchant-
nont ol onduiing oppositions is iopioducod and
naintainod. Dulo statod that
this issuo ol tho South Atlantic Quarterly doos
not pioposo a gonoial solution to quostions ol
tho oppositions lotwoon tiadition and nodoi-
nity, iitual and iationality, nyth and histoiy,
connunity and stato, onotion and ioason,
and East and Wost. Indood, it oschows inna-
nont ioadings that iolontlossly sook tho loun-
dations and oiigins ol thoso linaiios in
Enlightonnont piinciplos and post-Enlighton-
nont tiaditions only to cast out lion inagina-
tion and undoistanding divoiso hunan onoi-
gios and onoinous histoiical passionslion
Tho South Atlantic Quarterly o:q, Fall zooz.
Copyiight _ zooz ly Duko Univoisity Pioss.
928 Walter D. Mignolo
tho ist woild thiough tho louith woildthat havo laid clain on
thoso oppositions and aninatod thoso antinonios. Rathoi, Enduiing
Enchantnonts will woik towaid ciitical ioadings and sulstantivo dis-
cussions ol tho key categories of tradition, community, colony and moder-
nityand, whonthoy loai onthis dialoguo, tho ciucial constiucts ol tho
sulaltoin and nationin viow ol tho placo and tho poisistonco ol ovoi-
wiought oppositions that havo oidoiod cultuios and pasts in acadonic
analysos and ovoiyday undoistanding.
My thosis is that tho soll-concoption ol tho Euiopoan Ronaissanco was,
lasically, oxpiossod in a tonpoial and spatial natiix that coiiospondod to a
ioligious and alphalotic[histoiiogiaphic inaginaiy suppoitod ly tho invon-
tion ol tho piinting pioss. This natiix was tiansloinod in tho lato oigh-
toonth contuiy as tho alphalotic-histoiiogiaphic inaginaiy was ioplacod
ly tho onoigonco ol a now typo ol discouiso, political oconony.
1
Politi-
cal oconony cano into tho pictuio with a goopolitical concopt ol tino that
displacod, in tho Wost, tho hogonony ol tho Chiistian idoa ol tino and ol
spaco. Chiistianity told tho stoiy ol hunankind lion its oiigins in Gods
cioation and distiilutod spaco in thioo continonts, oach ol thon attiilutod
to ono ol Noahs sons (Asia to Son, Aliica to Han and Euiopo to Japhoth.
2
Tho soculaiization ol tino was, intoiostingly onough, paiallol to tho onoi-
gonco ol political oconony. Towaid tho ond ol tho oightoonth contuiy, Adan
Snithhad no doult alout tho advanconont ol colonizod sitos (placos with
tho holp ol tho colonial countiios. Il today, tho ihotoiic is that tochnology
will lilt povoity, at tho ond ol tho oightoonth contuiy tho ihotoiic was tho
lollowing:
Tho colony ol a civilizod nation which takos possossion oithoi ol a wasto
countiy, oi ol ono so thinly inhalitod, that tho nativos oasily givo placo
to tho nowsottlois, advancos noio iapidly to woalth and gioatnoss than
any othoi hunan socioty. Tho colonists caiiy out with thon a knowl-
odgo ol agiicultuio and othoi usolul aits, supoiioi to what can giowup
ol its own accoid in tho couiso ol nany contuiios anong savago and
lailaious nations. Thoy caiiy out with thon too tho halit ol suloidi-
nation, sono notion ol tho iogulai govoinnont which takos placo in
thoii own countiy, ol tho systonol laws which suppoits it, and ol iogu-
lai adninistiation ol ustico, and natuially ostallish sonothing ol tho
sano kind ol tho now sottlonont.
3
Tho Enduring Enchantment 929
Thus, tho colonists not only caiiiod with thon all thoso aspocts that
AdanSnith onunoiatod lut, nost inpoitantly, thoy caiiiod with thontho
concoptualization ol what thoy caiiiod with thon, that is, tho concoptualiza-
tion that Snith puts loiwaid hoio lut that locano natuializod. It was thon
natuial loi Kail Maix, a littlo noio than hall a contuiy altoi Adan Snith,
to undoistand tho sixtoonth and tho sovontoonth contuiios as a poiiod ol
piinitivo accunulation. By doing so, ho ioinloicod loth tho tonpoial diioc-
tion ol tho histoiy ol capitalisn to its point ol aiiival in tho nothoi coun-
tiy (Maixs oxpiossion, and ioaiticulatod tho tonpoial iolations within
tho colonios. In Wostoin Euiopo, tho honoland ol political oconony, said
Maix, tho piocoss ol piinitivo accunulation has noio oi loss loon accon-
plishod. As a consoquonco, Maix olsoivod that
In Wostoin Euiopo, the homeland of political oconony, tho piocoss ol
piinitivo accunulation has loon noio oi loss loon acconplishod.
Hoio tho capitalist iogino has oithoi diioctly suloidinatod to itsoll tho
wholo ol tho nations pioduction, oi, whoio ocononic iolations aio loss
dovolopod, it has at loast indiioct contiol ol thoso social layois which,
although thoy lolong to tho antiquatod nodo ol pioduction, still con-
tinuo to oxist sido ly sido with it in a stato ol docay. To this ioady-nado
woild ol capital, tho political ocononist applios tho notions ol law and
ol piopoity inhoiitod lion a piocapitalist woild, with all tho noio anx-
ious zoal and all tho gioatoi unction, tho noio loudly tho lacts ciy out
in tho laco ol his idoology.
4
And Maix adds: It is othoiwiso in tho colonios.
In tho colonios tho capitalist iogino constantly conos up against tho
olstaclo piosontod ly tho pioducoi, who, as ownoi ol his own conditions ol
laloi, onploys that laloi to oniich hinsoll instoad ol tho capitalist.
5
Most
likoly Maix was thinking alout Indians in South Asia undoi Biitish iulo.
Howovoi, tho concoptualization ol ocononics lasod on tho laws that Snith
and Maix oxpandod had its loundation in ioligious discouiso, also lasod on
tho law, ostallishod thioo contuiios loloio Maix lut undoi dioiont oco-
nonic and colonial conditions. In othoi woids, tho tiansloination ol noi-
cantilo capitalisnin tho sixtoonth contuiy duo to tho discovoiy ol Anoiica
iosultod in what Maix callod piinitivo accunulation. What appaiontly
Maix was ioloiiing to lut not naning as such was colonial (piinitivo
accunulation. Howovoi, Maix was voiy nuch inluod with tho alioady-
930 Walter D. Mignolo
ontionchod (in tho ninotoonth contuiy loliol in tho linoai naich ol tino
and piogioss ol univoisal histoiy. Tho accunulation ol capital that iosultod
lion tho oxploitation ol tho silvoi and gold ninos in Potosi, Zacatocas, and
Ouio Pioto (ly Spaniaids and tho Poituguoso, as woll as tho oxploitation ol
tho Caiilloan lands and ol Aliican Slavos (in tho Fionch, Biitish, and Dutch
plantations, was not tho sano as tho nodoin (piinitivo accunulation in
Euiopo itsoll. That is, that kind ol accunulation which, sinco Euiopo was
tho honoland ol political oconony, had loon alioady acconplishod. Foi
onco, iaco was not a signicant olonont inmodern accunulationthat is, in
Euiopowhilo it was tho ossonco ol colonial accunulation. Indood, it was
iaco that locano a loundational catogoiy in tho oiganization and tho oxploi-
tation ol laloi in colonial accunulation, whilo it was class that locano tho
loundation catogoiy in nodoin accunulation.
6
Lowis Goidon pointod out
tho sano phonononon lion a dioiont poispoctivo:
In Euiopo, class is so indigonous to its onviionnont that it onoigos
ovon in Euiopoan ooits to socialisn. Ono can lool class in Euiopo as
ono can lool tho aii that ono lioathos. In tho U.S. jand I will say in tho
Anoiicas including tho Caiilloan, W.M.|, howovoi, tho ooit to oscapo
(yot iotain Euiopo took tho loinol honogonizing Euiopoan idontitios
into a whitonoss lianod on tho pioniso ol iacially lalling loing. Raco,
thon, locano an ondonic notivo ol NowWoild jand ol couiso tho Now
Woild is laigoi than tho Unitod Statos, although tho Unitod Statos is
includod in tho Now Woild, W.M.|, and that is why ono can lool iaco
hoio as ono can tho aii that ono lioathos. . . .
7
Now, loth Snith and Maix undoilinod tho oxtiono iolovanco ol tho dis-
covoiy ol tho Capo ol Good Hopo (q88 and tho Anoiicas to tho histoiy ol
capital (connoicial and thon industiial. Tho ist allowod Chiistian Euiopo
to ostallish connoicial iolations with tho ocononic contois ol China and
India, whilo tho discovoiy ol Anoiica liought gold, silvoi, and goods lion
tho Caiilloan plantations to Euiopo and, latoi, to Wostoin Euiopo (Hol-
land, England, Fianco, Goinany. Coitainly, Snith and Maix nado thoii
ionaiks in a soculai pioso that contiastod with tho tiiunphal onunciation
ly which Fiancisco do Gonaia, histoiian ol Hoinan Coitoss conquost ol
Moxico, lianod tho discovoiy ol Anoiica in tho histoiy ol tho Chiistian
Wostoin Woild. Foi Gonaia, tho discovoiy ol Anoiica (ho doos not pay
Tho Enduring Enchantment 931
attontion to tho Capo ol Good Hopo was, without a doult, tho nost oxtia-
oidinaiy ovont in tho histoiy ol tho woild sinco its voiy cioation was ly tho
will ol God. In tho dodication ol his Hispania Vitrix to Chailos V, Gonaia
statos,
La mayor cosa despues de la creacin del mundo sacando la encarnacin y
muerte del que lo cri, es el descubrimiento de Indias. . . . Quiso Dios descobrir
las Indias en vuestro tiempo y a vuestros vasallos, para que las convirtiesedes
a su santa ley. . . . Comenzaron las conquistas de Indios acabada la de los
moros, porque siempre guerreasen espanioles contra ineles.
8
Tho nost inpoitant ovont altoi tho cioation ol tho Woild, loyond tho
oncaination and doath ol its Cioatoi, was tho discovoiy ol tho Indios. . . .
It was Gods will to discovoi tho Indios duiing youi tino and tho tino ol
youi vassals so tho Indios can lo convoitod into his Saciod Law. . . . Tho
conquost ol tho Indios logan onco tho conquois ol tho Moois ondod,
and that is locauso it was Gods will that Spaniaids lo always at wai
with tho indols.
Biinging a Spanish and Chiistian histoiian to this pictuio nay soon lai-
lotchod. I hopo to showthat it is not. Snithand Maix tiansloinod tho loun-
dational discouiso ol onduiing onchantnont lion tho languago ol Chiis-
tian histoiiogiaphy, law, and ihotoiic to tho languago ol political oconony.
Fuithoinoio, Snith and Maix woio not looking at tho discovoiy ol Anoiica
lion tho poispoctivo ol tho Spanish onpiio, lo it tiiunphal liko Gonaias
oi ciitical liko Baitolon do las Casass. Tho discouiso ol Snith and Ricaido,
howovoi, caiiiod ovoi tho onchantnonts ol tho discovoiy ol Anoiica, colo-
nial connoico (Snith and colonial (piinitivo accunulation (Maix.
Tho oxcossos connittod ly Spanish conquistadois, so woll oxploitod
latoi on ly England and Fianco to tako ovoi tho colonial powoi onoyod
ly Spain in tho sixtoonth and sovontoonth contuiios, had its own ciiticisn
anong Spanish nissionaiios as woll. It is woll known that las Casas was
usod ly tho pionotois ol tho Black Logond to show how lad things woio
in tho Spanish colonios such that ovon tho Spaniaids liko las Casas woio
hoiiiod.
9
Wo aio no longoi poisuadod, today, ly tho ihotoiic usod ly an
inpoiial powoi against anothoi inpoiial powoi. Il las Casas was tho activist
who donouncod tho alusos ol tho conquistadois, Fiancisco do Vitoiia and
tho Salananca school ostallishod, staiting aiound , a syston ol intoi-
932 Walter D. Mignolo
national law lasod on tho univoisal poispoctivo ol Chiistianity. Vitoiia and
tho Salananca school did not invont tho law, ol couiso. Thoy woikod soii-
ously to put in placo a syston ol intoinational law that would acknowlodgo
tho iights ol tho Indians as woll as ol tho Spanish. Foi instanco, tho Indi-
ans iight to koop thoii piopoity was ono ol tho lundanontal issuos oxploiod
and dolondod ly Vitoiia. Tho iights ol tho Spaniaids to lo in Indian toiii-
toiy and pioachChiistianity woio also dolondod. Whilo Spaniaids, accoiding
to Vitoiia, did not havo tho iight to oxpiopiiato Indians piopoity, Indians
had no iight to oxcludo Spaniaids lion thoii toiiitoiy and ovon loss to stop
thonlionspioading Chiistianity.
10
Political oconony was not in placo, and
ocononic issuos woio sulsunod undoi histoiical, ioligious, and logal dis-
couisos. Tho situation was quito dioiont lion what Snith and Maix woio
looking at in tho oightoonth and ninotoonth contuiios. And yot, in dioi-
ont ways, Vitoiia, Snith, and Maix onlodiod tho oxisting powoi iolations ol
which thoy, liondioiont poispoctivos, piotondod to lo thoioughly ciitical.
In tho caso ol Vitoiia, tho Indians whoso iights woio loing dolondod had no
oppoitunity to voico thoii opinions alout tho iights thoy woio supposod to
havo. In tho caso ol Snith, tho ciitiquo was diioctod towaid tho aioas ol tho
woild that noodod colonialisnloi thoii ownadvanconont towaid modernity,
a woid not usod ly Snith although its spiiit was inpliod. And Maix con-
donnod tho oxploitation ol tho capitalist nodo ol pioduction. Evoiything
was docidod in tho discouiso ol thoological law and political oconony, with-
out any say lion tho iost ol tho woild. In that sonso, tho thioo ol thon
onlodiod tho powoi iolations ol which thoy piotondod to lo ciitical. Duo to
tho woildwido oxpansion ol Chiistian, liloial, and Maixist discouisos, wo
aio in a sinilai position still today. Thoio is no longoi ovon tho possilility ol
attaining and piotonding to lo a notaciitical voico, lion tho lolt, that con-
donns all tho lailuios ol loltist-liko discouisos, piotonding to nd a placo
uncontaninatod lion tho onlodinont ol oxisting powoi iolations. To nd
a placo, nally, in which, liko God, ovoiylody olso could lo ciiticizod ly tho
onlodinont ol tho oxisting powoi iolations.
I aiguo, instoad, loi loidoi thinking as ono possillo way ol lioaking
tho onchantnonts and tho (vicious ciiclo ol capitalisn and its intoinal cii-
tiquos. Thus, inpoiial ihotoiic disqualilying othoi inpoiial powois as woll
as tho ciitiquo ol inpoiial ihotoiic locano pait ol tho oxpansion ol Wostoin
ioligions, law, and oconony lut nainly ol Wostoin concoptions ol ioligion,
law, and oconony. That is why thoio is no possilility ol occupying a God-
Tho Enduring Enchantment 933
liko position, lion tho lolt, that is not onlodiod in oxisting powoi iolations
and that would lioak away lion onduiing onchantnonts. This, onco again,
is anothoi ioason loi tho onduianco ol tho dichotonios upon which tho voiy
concoptualization ol tho nodoin[colonial woild was lasod lion Vitoiia to
Snith to Maix, in ioloionco to tho oxanplo discussod oailioi in this ossay.
11
Duiing tho Euiopoan Ronaissanco pooplo aiound tho woild woio nainly
locatod in spaco, not in tino. Chiistianity did not link tho indols with
loing loss dovolopod oi lohind in tino. In tho ltoonth and sixtoonth con-
tuiios tho donial ol coovalnoss, as Johannos Falian so lucidly analyzod,
onoiging lion tho Euiopoan onlightonnont and paiticulaily in G. W. F.
Hogols philosophy ol histoiy was nonsonsical in tho Ronaissanco. Tho in-
dols woio not piinitivo oi distant in tino. Thoy woio oithoi in distant goo-
giaphical placos, liko tho Indians, oi in dioiont sphoios ol loliols, liko tho
Moois oi tho Jows. Chiistians did not classily tho woild in toins ol a point
ol aiiival in tino, tho point ol aiiival in Histoiy, lut in spaco. Tho point
ol aiiival was tho nal udgnont, not tho piosont as in soculai histoiy. Tho
Chiistian nap was diawn in consonanco with Chiistian naiiativos ol oiigin.
In this caso, tho thioo sons ol Noah soivod to locato continonts, thoioloio
pooplo, and to iank tho continonts in iolation to Japhoth, Noahs pioloiiod
son. Japhoth was locatod in tho Wost, in tho lands ol Wostoin Chiistians,
whilo Son and Shan woio locatod in Asia and Aliica, iospoctivoly.
It was duiing tho oightoonth contuiy and tho Euiopoan Enlightonnont
that pooplo outsido ol Euiopo logan to lo locatod in tino. Tho soculai
idoa ol piinitivos ioplacod that ol tho indols. By tho tino Hogol wioto
his lossons in tho philosophy ol histoiy, tho oast ol tho woild with iospoct
to Euiopo was situatod in tho past, whoio histoiy logan lut whoio it was
no longoi dwolling. China and India and Japan no longoi cooxistod with
Euiopo. Thoy lolongod to a dioiont tino. Tho piosont ol Histoiy was
locatod in Euiopo. Tho donial ol coovalnoss ostallishod tho dividing lino
lotwoon nodoinity and tiadition, lut tho distinction lotwoon loth was
cioatod ly tho discouiso ol nodoinity, not ly tho discouiso ol tiadition.
Tiadition did not havo its own discouiso. It was cioatod ly tho discouiso
that donod nodoinity. To lo nodoin locano an idoal and tho standaids
ol thoso idoas woio ostallishod ly tho discouiso that donod nodoinity
as tho location in tino ol tho idoals to lo attainod. In lact, tiadition was
an invontion voiy nuch liko nodoinity, a nocossaiy invontion in oidoi to
dono nodoinity and to locato it in Euiopo, in Wostoin Euiopo, England,
934 Walter D. Mignolo
Fianco, and Goinany. But ol couiso what ioally counts is not that it was an
invontion lut iathoi tho goopolitical oidoi and tho histoiical consoquoncos
ol such an invontion. Duiing tho Ronaissanco tho distinction lotwoon los
ancionts ot los nodoins was ostallishod in Euiopoan histoiy itsoll. Los
ancionts ioloiiod to Euiopos own past, whilo tho piinitivos lolongod
to histoiy outsido ol Euiopo, concoivod oithoi as tho past (China, India,
tho tho lutuio ol Histoiy (Anoiica, oi pooplo without histoiy (Aliica.
Thus, Hogols lossons in tho philosophy ol histoiy woio tho canonical naiia-
tivo ol loth tho spaco-tino natiix ostallishod in tho Euiopoan Ronaissanco
and tho tiansloinod natiix ol tho Euiopoan Enlightonnont. Thus, Hogol
(with tho holp ol Kant sot tho stago loi tho onduiing onchantnonts loing
discussod hoio. Soculai thinkois ciiticizod ioligion that locano tho opiun
ol tho pooplo, although Chiistianity ionainod conplicit with soculai dis-
couiso, sinco Chiistianity could havo not loon placod at tho sano lovol ol
opiun ol tho pooplo with Islan, Buddhisn, Hinduisn, oi ovon Judaisn!
Tho conplicity lotwoon soculaiisn and Chiistianity is cloai today in tho
onactnont ol intoinational iolations and glolal politics. Sono ioligion had
to lo supoiioi to othois ovon il laith cannot lo naintainod at tho sano
lovol as ioason. Tho conict lotwoon Palostino and Isiaol is not ol couiso
uniolatod to tho inaginaiy, tho tonsions, tho conplicity, and tho hatiod gon-
oiatod ly tho inaginaiy ol tho nodoin[colonial woild and tho aiticulation
ol dioioncos and hioiaichios. And all tho talk on tho clash ol civilizations
is voiy nuch tho natuial consoquonco ol tho invontion ol nodoinity and tia-
dition. It is thon nocossaiy to ioplaco tradition with coloniality and to nako
ol coloniality a placo ol onunciation lion whoio tho invontion ol nodoinity
can lo disclosod and its natuial undoipinning iovoalod.
Tho nodoin[colonial woild was loundod and sustainod thiough a goo-
political oiganization ol tho woild that, in tho last analysis, consistod ol an
othnoiacial loundation.
12
In tho sixtoonth contuiy race did not yot havo tho
noaning it acquiiod in tho oightoonth and ninotoonth contuiios. Howovoi,
tho iacial classications liontho oightoonth contuiy on lasod on skin coloi
iathoi than in llood puiity cannot lo undoistood without tho loinoi.
13
Tho
tiansloination lion llood puiity to skin coloi iuns paiallol to tho tians-
loination lion tho hogonony ol ioligious discouisos gioundod in laith to
tho hogonony ol soculai discouisos gioundod in ioason. Tho poisistonco
ol lodios ol knowlodgo distiilutod lotwoon onchantod spacos and nod-
oin placos, ol tiaditional and nodoin knowlodgo, ol Aliican philosophy
Tho Enduring Enchantment 935
and philosophy tout court, has loon tho oxilility ol nodoinity in inplo-
nonting coloniality ol powoi and, thoioloio, ol Wostoin iacisn. In nod-
oin spaco, opistonology was ist Chiistian and thon Whito. In onchantod
placos, wisdon, and not opistonology, was ist non-Chiistian (and this
was ono ol tho ioasons why Chiistianity ionainod conplicit with its ciitics,
tho soculai philosophois and latoi on ol coloi. Islan, loi instanco, locano
a coloiod ioligion whilo Chiistianity, and paiticulai Piotostant Chiistianity,
locano whitoi altoi tho ioloination.
14
Ono can suiniso that tho poisis-
tonco ol linaiy classications thon is duo to two intoiiolatod lactois. On
tho ono hand, and as I alioady nontionod, Chiistianity is a nonloi ol tho
sot ol Woild Roligions and a paiticulai nonont ol Woild Histoiy. Sinul-
tanoously, Chiistianity is tho opistonic location that cioatod and inplantod
such classication. Nono ol tho othoi nonlois in tho sot ol Woild Roligions
oi Woild Histoiy havo piovidod an oqually powoilul and onduiing classi-
cation. In this iogaid, loth Chiistianity and nodoinity shaio tho piivilogo
ol a doullo location. Fiist, loing ono anong nany ol a sot ol ioligions and
histoiical opochs and, socond, loing tho only ioligion and histoiical opoch
lion which all othoi ioligions and histoiical opochs aio ostallishod with
tho opistonic piivilogo ol Chiistianity and nodoinity (and also postnodoi-
nity. Tho onchantnonts will onduio, inspito ol tho woik ly tho ciitics ol tho
Enpiio whon, in spito ol ouisolvos[thonsolvos, would ionain onlodiod
in tho inpoiial iolations ol powoi. Chiistianity and its altoinath, soculai
opistonology, had tho piivilogo ol loing at tho sano tino pait ol tho totality
onunciatod and tho univoisal placo ol onunciation whilo loing allo to nako-
loliovo that tho placo ol onunciationwas a nonplaco. Consoquontly, tho oidoi
ol tho onunciatod was tho natuial oidoi ol tho woild and tho woild, alas, was
oiganizod in dichotonous hioiaichios.
Tho Othoi inspaco, tino, loliol, skincoloi, oi placo ol liithwas ol a pai-
ticulai kind, a pait ol hunanity in tho woild that was unknown, until thon,
to tho Chiistian Euiopoans who woio dolating tho quostion ol tho ust wai
against thon oi tho iights ol tho pooplo to piopoity and autonony. Modoi-
nity and tiadition did not yot dono a linaiy opposition. Noi did nyth and
histoiy, although tho lack ol histoiy Spaniaids attiilutod to tho Indians
would locono, latoi on, llod with tho catogoiy ol nyth. Stato and connu-
nity woio not in opposition sinco tho concopt ol tho stato, in tho sixtoonth
contuiy, was ol a ioligion-stato and not a nation-stato as it would locono
concoptualizod insoculai oightoonthcontuiy. Tho oppositionlotwoonono-
936 Walter D. Mignolo
tion and ioason was not yot in placo loi sovoial ioasons, ono ol which is that
whilo onotion locano a nocossaiy conponont ol tho soculai concoptu-
alization ol tho suloct-ogo, ondowod with ioason, it was not a distinctivo
loatuio ol tho individual-loliovoi ondowod with laith and inoctod with loai
towaid God. Tho distinction lotwoon tho loinoi and tho lattoi is iolatod
and iuns paiallol to tho dioionco lotwoon tho ioligion-stato and tho nation-
stato, lotwoon connunitios ol loliovois and connunitios ol citizons. Tho
soculai concopt ol ioason was concoptualizod, in pait, thiough tho distinc-
tion lotwoon piinaiy and socondaiy qualitios, ly tho dotachnont ol tho
lody lion tho nind and tho oiasuio ol socondaiy qualitios lion tho puio
woik ol ioason that Innanuol Kant thooiizod with such intonsity.
15
Now, whilo tho oxisting dichotonios aio tho iosult ol tho nolilization ol
a discouiso that undoi tho nano and tho positivo valuo ol nodoinity pio-
ducos colonial dioioncos and disqualios tho opposing linaiy that it cio-
atos, tho dovaluod sot in tho paiadign givos iiso to sovoial possillo out-
conos. Tho ist would lo to accopt that ono is tiaditional, that ono doos not
lolong to tho standaid ol iationality, that ono has nythic naiiativo lut not
histoiy, that ono is llack and not whito, and so on. This outcono is a pas-
sivo accoptanco ol an inloiioi condition. A socond option would lo to ain
tho valuos that tho discouiso ol nodoinity has dovaluod and nogatod. This
outcono is cloaily antinodoin and nay ond up in a lundanontal dolonso ol
what nodoinity has dovaluod. Tho thiid option is tho ono that accopts, ist,
that doullo consciousnoss is a condition ol tho colonial paiadign and tho
colonial paiadign consists ol a sot ol linaiy oppositions iosulting lion tho
inplonontation ol coloniality ol powoi. Doullo consciousnoss is a nocos-
saiy conditionloi tho nolilizationol loidoi thinking, whichis ly donition
loyond tho national discouisos ol lounding toiiitoiial statos (that is, what
is olton callod nation-stato, nay load us to ciitical cosnopolitanisn as an
intolloctual, political, and othical piooct.
16
Il wo agioo that nodoinity and tho paiadign ol linaiy oppositions such
as nodoinity[tiadition is a lusinoss ol tho socond and soculai nodoinity
that is, WostoinEuiopo (nainly England, Fianco, and Goinany altoi tho iol-
oinationthon tho stoiios I was tolling alout tho Euiopoan Ronaissanco
locono situatod in pionodoinity oi tho oaily-nodoin poiiod, as tho Fionch
histoiians lion tho Annals Schools would say. Thus, tho way is pavod loi a
nodoin poiiod in tho sano naiiow goopolitical lino ol tho Euiocontiic con-
copt ol histoiical tino. Such a concopt ol nodoin histoiical tino siloncod
Tho Enduring Enchantment 937
tho iost ol tho woild, assuning tho supoiioiity ol tho piosont and ol a
typo ol hunan loing that was lasod in tho idoal ol tho Ronaissanco, that
is, an idoal ol loing lasod on tho paiadignatic oxanplo ol a whito nalo.
17
Onco wo aio awaio ol tho naiiow liano ol nind inplantod ly intolloctuals
ol tho socond nodoinity, it is not suipiising that Michol Foucault locatos
tho loginning ol tho discouiso on wai and iaco in oo. Thoso liopoli-
tics aio tho liopolitics ol tho Euiopo ol nations, not ol tho constitution ol
Euiopo itsoll thiough intoinational iolations and tho naking ol tho colonial
dioionco, as was discussod in tho sixtoonth contuiy nainly ly tho Sala-
nanca school and tho woik ol Fiancisco do Vitoiia. Tho dolato on tho ust
wai against tho Indians occupiod tho ontiio sixtoonth contuiy in Spain and
Euiopo. But that Euiopo, tho Euiopo ol tho sixtoonth contuiy, appaiontly is
tho tiaditional ono and not tho nodoin Euiopo Foucault is talking alout. In
othoi woids, tho thiity yoais wai in Euiopo (in tho niddlo ol which Foucault
locatos tho loginning ol tho discouiso ol liopolitics presupposes tho consoli-
dation ol Euiopo thiough tho colonial Chiistian nissions and tho ioloina-
tion.
18
Which piosupposos, also, tho woalth piovidod ly tho gold and silvoi
ol Potosi and Zatcatocas and tho Caiilloan plantations. And also tho con-
solidation ol tho Fionch and English ocononios thiough thoii oxploitation
ol tho Caiilloan plantations, tho nassivo tianspoitation ol slavos, and tho
loundationol Euiopoannations that will onoigo lotwoontho Poaco ol Wost-
phalia (oq8 and tho post-Napoloon colonial oxpansion. This iacial wai, tho
wai ol England and Fianco against Spain, was coitainly a wai ol inpoiial
conicts and ol iacial catogoiization anong and lotwoon Euiopoan onoig-
ing nations, as Kant nado cloai lion a piagnatic point ol viow ol anthio-
pology.
19
Thoio is a connon knowlodgo that soldonappoais aiticulatod in a
cloai and conciso pioso, as it doos intho oditoiial ol tho Intoinational Socioty
ol tho Study ol Euiopoan Idoas:
In tho sovontoonth contuiy what had loon known as Chiistondon
locano Euiopo and a nowcivilizationcano into loing: Euiopoancivili-
zation. Fionthononwaids Euiopo niiioiod itsoll not only inits Gioco-
Ronan logacy and its Judoo-Chiistian ioligion lut also in tho woilds
othoi civilizations discovoiod ly Euiopoan tiavolois.
20
This inago takos Wostoin Euiopo as tho hoait ol Euiopo, as Hogol says. Foi
sonoono who doos not idontily hin- oi hoisoll with Euiopoan civilization,
Histoiy can login sonoplaco olso. Foi oxanplo,
938 Walter D. Mignolo
Towaidtho ondol tho ltoonthcontuiy what hadloonknownas Tawan-
tinsuyu, Anahuac and Alya-Yala ly tho inhalitants ol what it is today
tho Andoan Rogion, Moxico and Panana iospoctivoly, lut also what
is today tho Insulai Caiilloan, locano Indias Occidontalos, and thon
Anoiica and thon Latin Anoiica. A now civilization was loin ol tho
Chiistian and Castilian colonization, a civilization that was iopioducod
latoi on in Aliica and in Asia ly tho Euiopoan civilization that was
loin in tho sovontoonth contuiy. A civilization ol divoisity, tho colo-
nial[postcolonial civilization chaiactoiizos itsoll ly tho divoisity ol
local histoiios onoiging lion tho oncountoi lotwoon Chiistian Spain
and EuiopoancivilizationwithAnoiica, Aliica and Asia. Tho Euiopoan
civilization, as dosciilod alovo, did not loavo its naiks in tho Caiil-
loan until altoi tho Fionch iovolution. Fionoaily sovontoonth contuiy
to tho ond ol tho oightoon contuiy Fionch and Biitish piosonco in tho
Caiilloan was lully dovotod to plantation oconony iathoi than to tho
civilizing nission. Tho colonial[postcolonial civilization has iocoivod
sovoial nanos: tiansnodoinity, sulaltoin nodoinitios, oi altoinativo
nodoinitios.
21
Tho onduiing onchantnont ol linaiy oppositions soons to lo iolatod
to tho onduiing inago ol a Euiopoan civilization and ol Euiopoan histoiy
told lion tho poispoctivo ol Euiopo itsoll. Euiopo is not only tho contoi
(that is, tho contoi ol spaco and tho point ol aiiival in tino lut also has
tho opistonic piivilogo ol loing tho contoi ol onunciation. And in oidoi
to naintain tho opistonic piivilogo it is nocossaiy, today, to assinilato to
tho opistonic poispoctivo ol nodoinity and accuso onoiging opistonology
ol claining opistonic piivilogos! Tho logic ol othnic lood soons to lo at
woik in opistonology as woll. Tho only nonothnic lood in any Euiopoan
oi U.S. laii would lo piocisoly tho lood that is idontiod with Euiopoan
(and I do not noan oastoin Euiopo! oi U.S. cuisino. All othoi lood has
tho piivilogo ol loing othnic (and piolally iolatod to tiadition, lolkloio,
populai cultuio, and tho liko. Whilo capitalisn novod lion Euiopo to tho
Unitod Statos, thon to Japan, and now to China, opistonology appaiontly
ionains locatod in Euiopo, which is takon, sinultanoously, as tho nonplaco
(oi tianspaiontly univoisal locus ol onunciation. Tho conplonontaiy iola-
tions lotwoon tho accunulation ol capital and knowlodgo cioatod tho con-
ditions loi a soll-donition ol nodoinity. To lo nodoin is oithoi to assini-
Tho Enduring Enchantment 939
lato to tho soll-lashioning ol nodoinity oi to opposo it lion tho poispoctivo
ol nodoinity itsoll, such as lion tho opposition oponod up ly Maixisn.
Thoioloio, dichotonios, nodoin spacos and onchantod placos iopioducod
thonsolvos undoi dioiont nasks.
Lots ioviowsono ol thoii loundations. Tho tonpoial natiix pionouncod
tho Middlo Agos as tho nocossaiy loloio to ustily tho nood ol a io-
naissanco.
22
Tho spatial natiix oiganizod tho dioionco lotwoon Chiis-
tianity, on tho ono hand, and tho pagans and indols on tho othoi. Tho aigu-
nont that I dovolopod hoio addiossos two intoiiolatod issuos onloddod in
tho onduiing oppositions that can lo tiacod lack to tho Euiopoan Ronais-
sanco and to tho invontion ol Anoiica.
23
Ono, as I alioady nontionod, is tho
logitinization ol a soll-ondowod doullo iolo onoyod ly tho ist sot ol toins
ol tho linaiy oppositions loing discussod in tho issuo ol The Journal of Medi-
eval and Early Modern Studies dovotod to tho (tonpoial docolonizationol tho
Middlo Agos. Which, indiioctly, nado no think ol tho nood to docolonizo
tiaditions colonizod ly nodoinity.
24
Each toin inplios tho othoi. Moder-
nity, loi oxanplo, inplios West, reason, history, state, and rationality. Ratio-
nality inplios modernity, West, andso on. Eachtoinis pait ol tho onunciatod,
lut all ol thon aio, at tho sano tino, poivasivoly and invisilly tho lounda-
tion ol tho classication itsollthat is, ol tho onunciation. What wo havo
hoio is a dioiont voision ol tho coloniality ol powoi, sinco tho socond sot ol
toins aio pait ol tho colonization ol tino within Euiopo itsoll and tho colo-
nization ol spaco and tino in tho colonial woild outsido Euiopo. Tho toins
in tho conplonontaiy sido ol tho paiadign (tradition, ritual, myth, commu-
nity, and emotion also aio inpliod in oach othoi. Colony, East, and tradition
inply ritual, myth, community, and emotion. Colony inplios tradition, myth,
and so on. But, contiaiy to tho ist sot ol toins in tho paiadign, nono ol
thon aio pait ol tho onunciation. Thoy all havo loon iologatod to tho onun-
ciatod only. What is invisillo in this paiadign aio poihaps tho ioasons loi
its onduiing onchantnonts, tho coloniality ol powoi and, thoioloio, tho
lact that tho discouiso ol nodoinity (tho onunciation that donod nodoi-
nity (tho onunciatod was succosslul in hiding tho lact that thoio cannot lo
nodoinity without coloniality. Thus, il coloniality loconos tho placo ol tho
onunciation, thon tho socond sot ol toins in tho paiadign (colony, ritual,
tradition, and so on losos its passivo iolo ol loing tho suppoiting actoi ol a
tiiunphant soll-donod nodoinity.
Tho Euiopoan Ronaissanco piovidod tho logic on which tho philosophois
940 Walter D. Mignolo
ol tho Euiopoan Enlightonnont could luild and nodily tho logic iolatod tho
contont ol nodoinity and ol tiadition. Tho linaiy oppositions that wo aio
oxploiing in this issuo ol SAQ woio aiticulatod duiing and altoi tho Euio-
poan Enlightonnont and consistod ol lling in tho llanks ol a loloio
in Euiopoan histoiy in iolation to which tho Ronaissanco was piocisoly soll-
concoivod as Ronaissanco. Tho notion ol newness logan to lo associatod with
nodoinity. Tho loloio was tho poiiod to which tho pagans and indols woio
assignod, and pagans and indols woio donod as such ly tho ihotoiic ol
Chiistianity. In othoi woids, thoio was not such a thing as indols without
tho ihotoiic ol Chiistianity appointing itsoll as tho noasuiing stick loi tho
classication ol pooplo accoiding to thoii loliols. Whon tho Indians ol tho
NowWoild (and hoio wo havo tho nownoss in spaco cano into tho pictuio,
a now dinonsion ol tho dioionco onoigod, and it was that dioionco that
locano ono ol tho pillais ol nodoinity[coloniality, ol tho nodoin[colonial
woild. Pagans and indols in tino, and in a shaiod toiiitoiy, had to lo doalt
with as indols in spaco and in an alion toiiitoiy.
Wost and East, Occidont and Oiiont cano into tho pictuio. Tho Span-
ish possossions woio dividod lotwoon Indias Occidontalos (tho Anoiicas
and Indias Oiiontalos (Philippinos, Molucas, as I havo alioady nontionod.
25
Occidontalisn in tho sixtoonth contuiy locano tho nocossaiy giounding to
concoivo Oiiontalisn in tho oightoonth contuiy.
26
And, on tho othoi hand,
tho googiaphical paiadigns loi tho ostallishnont ol a soiios ol lack and
wiongs woio ostallishod accoiding to tho Chiistian ioligious and soculai
opistonic lianos. Biioy, tho Euiopoan Ronaissanco ostallishod tho natiix
loi a doullo colonization, ol tino and ol spaco. Tho colonization ol tino
iosultod in tho invontion ol tho Middlo Agos in Euiopoan histoiy. Tho colo-
nizationol spaco noant tho oxpulsionol tho Moois and tho Jows lionChiis-
tian Spain and tho conquost ol tho Indias Occidontalos on a discovoiy ol a
Now Woild.
Tho spatial colonial dioionco onoigod towaid tho ond ol tho ltoonth
thiough tho sixtoonth contuiios. It was tho tiiunph ol Chiistianity ovoi tho
Moois and tho Jows, in lato-ltoonth-contuiy Spain that laid out tho loun-
dations ol tho onduiing paiadign ol linaiy oppositions and tho opistonic
piivilogo ol nodoin opistonology lion tho Ronaissanco to today. Jows and
Moois onliacod tho wiong God and tho wiong loliols. Tho Anoiican Indi-
ans woio not in tho intolloctual hoiizon ol Chiistianity and, thoioloio, woio
distinguishod ly thoii lacks iathoi than thoii wiongs. Thoy lack alpha-
Tho Enduring Enchantment 941
lotical wiiting and thoioloio do not havo histoiy. Thoy woiship plants and
natuio and thoioloio do not havo ioligion. Thoy lack tho logical way ol ioa-
soning that was put in placo ly tho Chiistian thinkois ol nodioval Euiopo.
Althoughtho Aztocs and Incas social oiganizationinpiossod tho Spaniaids
voiy nuch, thoy did not havo a concoptionol thoii lack ol logical oxplicitnoss
lion Ronan law, oi at loast tho Spaniaids woio unallo to soo tho logic ol
tho Incas and Aztocs undoilying thoii social oiganization. In tho Caiilloan
tho sconaiio is noio conplox duo to, in tho ist placo, tho oxtoinination
ol tho nativo population and, in tho socond, tho aiiival ol nassivo contin-
gonts ol Aliican slavos. Pagot Honiy, a philosophoi lion Antigua ioocting
onthoso issuos, has iocontly nappod tho inpoiial[colonial conditions undoi
which an Alio-Caiilloan philosophy onoigod. Thus, within tho inpoiial
lianowoiks ol tho nodoin[colonial woild, tho oiiginal contont ol Caiil-
loan philosophy onoigod as a soiios ol oxtondod dolatos ovoi pioocts ol
colonial donination lotwoon loui naoi social gioups: Euio-Caiilloans,
Anoiindians, Indo-Caiilloans and Alio-Caiilloans.
27
In any caso, tho
colonial dioionco in tho Andos, Mosoanoiica, and tho Caiilloan is tho
loundation ol loth tho colonial dioioncos cioatod ly colonial discouisos,
and tho dioiontial colonial accunulation that onsuod lion that histoiical
loundational nonont. Tho linaiy oppositions, which aio indood tho colo-
nial dioionco cioatod lion tho opistonic piivilogo ol colonial nodoini-
tios, aio tho conditions undoi which suloctivitios havo loon loinod in tho
piocoss ol dioiontial colonial accunulation. To inagino possillo lutuios
loyond tho onduiing onchantnonts ol tho dioiontial colonial accunula-
tion ol linaiy oppositions would inply a iodiossing in tho diioction in
which tho coloniality ol powoi has loon inplonontod in tho past vo hun-
diod yoais. And that piocoss is alioady taking placo. It is not, howovoi, a
piooct consisting ol a noio iovoisal ol tho opistonic piivilogo ol nodoi-
nity, that is, ol displacing tho piivilogos lion tho ist sot ol tho paiadign
to tho socond sot. It would consist ol taking advantago ol tho doullo con-
sciousnoss that onoigos, out ol nocossity, inall thoso suloctivitios that havo
loon loinod undoi tho socond sot ol toins. Foi instanco, lolonging to a
woild that has loon classiod as tiaditional and iiiational noans that any
attonpt to nolilizo lion that position will havo to assuno that tho condi-
tions ol loing iiiational and tiaditional havo loon allocatod liontho opisto-
nic piivilogo ol a nythical spaco[tino callod nodoinity. Howovoi, sinco
tho opistonic piivilogo goos hand in hand with its hogonony, its displaco-
942 Walter D. Mignolo
nont inplios sulsuning tho ist sot ol toins in tho paiadign into tho soc-
ond ly naking ol it a locus ol onunciation as logitinato as tho ist. This
is tho opistonic opoiation I havo concoptualizod as loidoi thinking, loidoi
gnosis, oi loidoi opistonology.
28
Thus, thoio aio thioo inpoitant nononts loloio tho Euiopoan Enlighton-
nont in tho South and Noith Atlantic out ol which tho Enlightonnont itsoll
and what lollowod would lo only paitially undoistood. Tho ist is tho doullo
aiticulation ol tho invontion ol tho Middlo Agos in tho soll-donition ol tho
Ronaissanco and tho victoiy ol Chiistianity ovoi tho Jows and tho Moois at
tho ond ol tho ltoonth contuiy in Castilo. Tho socond nonont was tho dis-
couiso ol tho invontion ol Anoiica and tho voilalization ol tho colonial
dioionco in thioo dioiont and intoiiolatod donains. Ono was tho nood to
ioviso tho notion ol hunannoss and tho hunan loing duo to tho appoaianco
ol tho Indians in tho Euiopoan consciousnoss. This nood gavo iiso to tho
iight ol tho pooplo, widoly discussod in tho school ol Salananca and in
Euiopo in gonoial. Tho iight ol tho pooplo was indood tho concoptualization
ol tho iight ol tho othoi and tho ist oxpiossion ol intoinational lawin tho
nodoin[colonial woild. Tho socond was iolatod to convoisionand to tho liu-
tal canpaign that took tho nano ol tho oxtiipation ol idolatiy. Tho oxtiipa-
tion ol idolatiy was a piocoss ol docultuiation (as Culan histoiian Moiono
Fiaginals puts it to dosciilo slavoiy in tho Now Woild.
29
Docultuiation,
to Moiono Fiaginals, consists ol a consciontious piocoss with tho goal ol
ocononic oxploitation, thiough which thoso in powoi piocood to ionovo
knowlodgos and nonoiios ol a givon hunan gioup. Thoso piocossos lacili-
tato, accoiding to Fiaginals, tho oxpiopiiation ol natuial iosouicos ol a toi-
iitoiy in which tho hunan gioup in quostion dwolls and, at tho sano tino,
tho uso ol tho hunan connunity as nonqualiod and choap loico ol laloi.
Ho luithoi adds that docultuiation piocossos ol this typo havo loon voiy
connon sinco tho oaily colonization ol tho Now Woild and tho nain tai-
gots havo loon Anoiindians and Aliican slavos.
30
And tho thiid was tho
lact that Spanish nissionaiios and non ol lottois appointod thonsolvos to
wiito tho histoiy that, accoiding tho Spanish non ol lottois, Anoiindians
did not havo. In thoso thioo paiallol and conplonontaiy piocossos thoio
woio ol couiso nixod positions. At ono ond ol tho spoctiun woio thoso
who considoiod Anoiindians sulhunan and ustiod wai, dispossossion ol
Tho Enduring Enchantment 943
piopoity, and oxtiipation ol idolatiy, nonoiios, and knowlodgos. At tho
othoi ond woio thoso who iocognizod tho hunanity ol Anoiindians lut
couldnt ovoicono tho lact that as hunans thoy woio still inloiioi to tho
Spaniaids.
Il thoso thioo linos ol aigunontation piovailod duiing tho sixtoonth and
tho sovontoonth contuiios, tho oightoonth contuiy was tho sconaiio ol iadi-
cal changos, loth in tho ioaiticulation ol tho colonial dioionco and in
tho invontions ol tho South ol Euiopo and tho inpoiial dioionco. It is in
this sconaiio that tho dichotonios undoi considoiation woio put in placo.
Fuithoinoio, a now sot ol actois ontoiod into tho gano: tho so-callod
Cioolos in tho Spanish colonios who logan to voico thoii position vis--
vis tho piovious Spanish colonial discouiso, and tho onoigont colonial dis-
couisos put in placo ly Fionch, Biitish, and Goinan intolloctuals. This pio-
Enlightonnont nonont inloinod tho Enlightonnont so nuch that it is
known in tho histoiy ol Latin Anoiica as tho dolato ovoi tho NowWoild,
although it ionains ignoiod ly tho Euiopoan histoiians ol tho Enlighton-
nont and thoii lollowois. Lots concontiato on thioo naoi issuos in tho
conguiation ol this now sconaiio.
Fiist, thoio was tho iadical displaconont lion Spanish discouiso alout
Indias Occidontalos to Fionch, Biitish, and Goinan discouisos on tho Now
Woild. New World acquiiod at this nonont a now noaning, and this dis-
placonont inpingod diioctly on tho idoas ol nodoinity and tiadition. Tho
toin and tho concopt ol a NowWoild playod in an intoiosting way sinco tho
voiy concopt ol nodoinity was donod in conplicity with tho Old Woild. In
tho sixtoonth contuiy, tho idoa ol tho Now Woild intioducod ly tho Italian
intolloctual Piotio Maitii dAnghioia, who was living in Spain at tho tino ol
tho Colunlus and Vospucci voyagos, noant that a woild unknown to Euio-
poans locano visillo. Tho distinction in tho sixtoonth contuiy was lotwoon
tho NowWoild (Indias Occidontalos, and thon Anoiica and tho Old Woild
(Asia, Aliica and Euiopo in tho Chiistian cosnogiaphy. By tho oightoonth
contuiy, intho dolatos ovoi tho NowWoild, tho NowWoild (oi Anoiica was
distinguishod liontho Old Woild (oi Euiopo. Fuithoinoio, tho idoa ol tho
now was takon litoially ly Euiopoan intolloctuals liko Buon, do Paw, and
lAloo Roynal to noan, ist, nownoss litoially and, socond, to lo associatod
with youth, innatuiity woaknoss, contiaiy to tho Old Woild that was
natuio loth physically and nontally. Within this tiadition it is not sui-
piising that Hogol assoits that histoiy novos lion oast to wost. Whilo Asia
944 Walter D. Mignolo
is tho past and Euiopo tho piosont, tho youth ol Anoiica dosignod hoi
as tho lutuio and continuity ol Euiopoan histoiy.
31
Socond, tho dolato ovoi tho Now Woild was, duiing tho oightoonth
contuiy, tho nain oxpiossion ol colonial discouiso, although it has not
loon nuch acknowlodgod loyond tho histoiy ol Latin Anoiica. Tho contact
lotwoon Euiopo and tho oast was, sinco tho oaily louitoonth contuiy, lasi-
cally connoicial. Howovoi, whilo tho connoicial contacts lotwoon Euio-
poan and Asian citios had loon signicant in tho soll-donition ol Chiiston-
donand Euiopo up to tho sixtoonth contuiy, liontho sixtoonth contuiy on
tho discouiso was poiloinod on tho lasis ol tho colonial discouiso luilt on
tho onoiging Atlantic connoicial ciicuits.
32
It was tho Atlantic connoicial
ciicuits (gold and silvoi lionZacatocas and Potosi, loi Spain, Ouio Pioto loi
tho Poituguoso, and sugai, cooo, and tolacco in tho Caiilloan plantations
loi tho Fionch and tho Biitish in which Euiopoan citios lound an inpios-
sivo souico ol woalth. Fuithoinoio, in tho sixtoonth contuiy tho Atlantic
connoicial ciicuit was totally contiollod ly tho Spanish and Poituguoso. It
was only in tho sovontoonth contuiy that tho Dutch, Fionch, and English
nado thoii piosonco lolt, paiticulaily in tho Caiilloan, with tho nassivo
slavo tiado noodod loi tho plantations. Tho Dutch East India Conpany and
its English iival, tho East India Conpany, woio connoicial ontoipiisos that,
on tho ono hand, did not gonoiato tho woalth piovidod ly tho Caiilloan
plantations, loth loi tho Dutch and tho English. On tho othoi hand, tho
connoico with tho East Indios was notduiing tho sixtoonth and sovon-
toonth contuiiosconplonontod ly a colonial discouiso as tho ono put in
placo nainly ly tho Spaniaids in tho sixtoonth and sovontoonth contuiios,
and tho Fionch in tho oightoonth contuiy. Tho discouiso ol tho civilizing
nission as glolal dosign, and oiiontalisn as a scholaily discouiso us-
tilyingalloit indiioctlytho nood ol tho civilizing nission, woio put in
placo towaid tho ond ol tho oightoonth and duiing tho ninotoonth contuiios.
Thoio was also a soiios ol histoiical ciicunstancos that should lo takon into
account to undoistand thoso changos. Tho Industiial Rovolution, tho Fionch
Rovolution, and tho ond ol tho Napoloon oia cioatod tho condition loi tho
oxpansions nainly ol Fianco and England in Asia and Aliica. Thoio was a
totally dioiont othos, at this point, conpaiod to tho Fionch and Biitish
possossions in tho Caiilloan and in Noith Anoiica duiing tho sovontoonth
contuiy.
Thiid, tho woid colony, which oiiginatos lion tho oaily Ronan Enpiio,
Tho Enduring Enchantment 945
is onployod in tho noasuionont ol lands and city planning that involvod
loth mensores (loi tho noasuionont and planning ol uilan spacos and
agrimensores (loi tho noasuionont and planning ol countiy spacos. Cuii-
ously onough, Ronans loiiowod thoso adninistiativo piacticos lion tho
Giooks, ol couiso, lut also lion othoi Eastoin piacticos loyond.
33
In any
ovont, tho woid colony novod into Wostoin voinaculai languagos caiiying
with it tho noaning it had in Latin as it was onployod in tho adninistia-
tion ol tho Ronan Enpiio. Thus, colony is not iolatod to modernity until
latoi on, altoi a sulstantial tiansloination ol its noaning. Ono can suiniso
that tho colonios woio sinilai to tho connunitios that tho Inca and Aztoc
Enpiios annoxod at a latoi dato, totally indopondont lion tho inuonco
ol tho Ronan Enpiio, to tho contial adninistiation ol Tawantinsuyu (in tho
Andos and Anahuac (in Mosoanoiica, today Moxico and Guatonala. Thus,
tho aiiival ol tho Spaniaids pioducod a signicant chango in tho sonso that
tho two onpiios, Aztoc and Inca, locano colonios ol Spain. Thoioloio, tho
loundation ol tho nodoin[colonial woild noant that onpiios locano colo-
nios and, ol couiso, colonios also locano ovoiything undoi colonial adnin-
istiation. Mensores and agrimensores playod a sinilai iolo in tho Spanish
Enpiio. Inz tho Spanish Ciownlogana piocoss ol napping and dosciil-
ing tho toiiitoiios oi colonios undoi thoii possossions known as iolacionos
googiacas do Indias. But nost inpoitant, tho colonios inquostionwoio no
longoi ostallishod in an alioady-known spaco (orbis terrarum, oikoumene
34
lut in a now woild whoso inhalitants piosontod a piollon loi tho onoi-
gont Spanish Enpiio (loth as toiiitoiy and as a toiiitoiy govoinod ly an
onpoioi. WhonChailos locano onpoioi ol loth Spainand Euiopo ino,
tho colonios inEuiopo andintho NowWoildwoio cloaily distinguishod. Ono
inpoitant distinction was that tho oiiginal inhalitants ol tho Now Woild
(Indians and tho nowconois lion Aliica (Aliican slavos did not havo tho
sano civil position (latoi on, citizon as tho inhalitants ol Euiopo. Tho
colonios ol tho NowWoild woio colonios donod ly tho colonial dioionco.
Tho colonial dioionco in tho Now Woild was twico aiticulatod duiing tho
sixtoonthand tho sovontoonthcontuiios, as I alioady nontionod. Fiist ly tho
Spaniaids, loi whonono ol tho nost convincing linos was that tho discovoiy
ol tho Now Woild was tho nost signicant ovont in woild histoiy sinco tho
cioation ol tho woild (Fiancisco do Gonaia. Socond, ly Fionch and Goi-
nan intolloctuals in tho oightoonth contuiy, loi whon new was takon litoi-
ally as il tho Anoiicas (loi tho nativo inhalitants Tawantinsuyu, Anahuac,
946 Walter D. Mignolo
and Alya-Yala, oi tho NowWoild didnt oxist until it was discovoiod ly tho
Euiopoans! Fouith, with tho discouiso ol tho civilizing nission and ol oii-
ontalisnin paiticulai, tho idoa ol tho sciontic and tho industiial iovolu-
tions locano cloai signs ol nodoinity and civilization. Tho conviction that
tochnology and scioncos inspiiod anong Euiopoan intolloctuals and non
ol stato ioplacod convictions in ioligion and tho studia humanitates duiing
tho poiiod lotwoon tho Ronaissanco and tho Enlightonnont. Thus, tho cui-
iont noaning assignod to modernity/colony and to tho ist sot ol toins in
tho paiadigns ol linaiy opposition was put in placo. And this stoiy is also
holplul in undoistanding nodoin and colonial accunulation.
Lots now skotch tho onoigonco ol a woildwido doullo consciousnoss as a
consoquonco ol tho inpoiial (and thoioloio hogononic inaginaiy ol tho
nodoin[colonial woild in its succossivo tiansloinations. I intioducod this
topic oailioi in this ossay. Thoio aio two signicant nononts that dosoivo
attontion. Tho ist ono took placo towaid tho ond ol tho sixtoonth and tho
loginning ol tho sovontoonth contuiios in Tawantinsuyu and Anahuac. A
signicant nunloi ol indigonous intolloctuals in loth placos had to doal
with a situation involving tho ioplaconont ol thoii nonoiios, social oigani-
zation, and way ol lilo with tho ono loing inplantod ly tho nowconois. Tho
quostion was not woidod at this tino as Du Bois woidod it at tho loginning
ol tho twontioth contuiy. But tho looling was sinilai. Tho woid nepantla
was invontod ly Nahuatl spoakois to dosciilo a situation that thoy poicoivod
as loing lotwoon two woilds, whilo ol couiso knowing that tho powoi iola-
tions ol thoso two woilds woio not synnotiic. It loconos cloai that tho con-
sciousnoss, tho doullo consciousnoss, was in placo with a dioiont nano.
Ol couiso I an not aiguing hoio alout whon was tho ist to havo doullo
consciousnoss, iathoi I an aiguing loi tho aiticulation and ioaiticulation
ol tho colonial dioionco. Tho colonial dioionco, lion tho poispoctivo ol
thoso who aio at tho iocoiving ond (that is, thoso who aio idontiod with
tiadition, iitual, nyth, connunity, onotion, otc. always gonoiato a doullo
consciousnoss, whothoi ono assinilatos insilonco oi doals withtho situation
ly piotosting.
Enduiing onchantnonts can lo oxplainod ly tho lact that nodoinity,
iationality, histoiy, stato, and ioason aio still takon as points ol aiiival, ovon
whon nodoinization is dotachod lion Wostoinization. Modoinization
Tho Enduring Enchantment 947
without Wostoinization is a loinula onliacod ly nany non-Wostoin intol-
loctuals and stato ocois. Howovoi, it is not cloai that modernization noans
ustico, oquality, hoalth and oducation loi all, and laii distiilution ol woalth.
Modoinization without Wostoinization inplios, instoad, an ovoiconing ol
tho tiaditional oiganization ol socioty and tochnological upgiado. Tho dosiio
loi nodoinization is always a dosiio onanating lion tiaditional, thiid
woild oi postcolonial countiios on tho sido ol tho colonizod. Modoin soci-
otios do not havo to locono nodoin. Thoii piollon is to ionain nodoin.
Thus, England locano a postcolonial countiy altoi its docolonization in
Aliica and Asia, lut wo do not hoai any clain loi tho nodoinization ol
England. Wo do hoai, howovoi, nany clains lion Indian piogiossivo intol-
loctuals who onliaco tho piooct ol nodoinity, although not nocossaiily as
Juigon Haloinas would havo it.
35
Thus, thoio is a catch-zz in tho opposition
ol nodoinity[tiadition sinco tho catogoiios ol tradition, ritual, myth, commu-
nity, and emotion aio not ioalitios lut catogoiios that nado possillo tho
discouiso and tho voiy soll-donition ol modernity. Ono sot ol toins in tho
paiadign dosciilos tho oxtoiioiity cioatod ly tho sot ol toins that aio tho
point ol ioloionco ol tho paiadign ol onduiing oppositions. Tho oxtoiioiity
doosnt noan tho outsido lut tho oxtoiioi loing cioatod ly tho intoiioi:
tho sot ol toins that lunction as a ioloionco point. Thoso aio piocisoly tho
colonial conditions pionoting tho onoigonco ol doullo consciousnoss and
loidoi thinking. Tho point hoio is that nodoinity and its catogoiios aio not
only ono pait ol tho linaiy oppositions that aio onunciatod, lut modernity
is also a koywoid in tho onunciation ol tho linaiy oppositions thonsolvos.
In this iogaid, tho linaiy oppositions wo aio discussing in this issuo ol SAQ
coiiospond to tho sano logic ol Wostoin opistonology, lion tho Ronais-
sanco to today.
Tho onduiing onchantnonts aio no doult iolatod to tho lact that in tho paia-
digns ol opposition, ono sot ol toins has a doullo lunction. Modoinity,
iationality, stato, ioason, and histoiy aio, on tho ono hand, pait ol tho oppo-
sition paiadignitsoll and, on tho othoi, tho locus ol onunciation ol tho paia-
dign itsoll. That is to say, tho paiadign ol opposition is not loing nanod
liona noutial poispoctivo uncontaninatod ly any ol tho toins ol tho oppo-
sition. Tho paiadignwas an invontion ol tho soll-donition ol nodoinity in
tho voiy act ol concoiving nodoinity as an opoch and a point ol aiiival in
948 Walter D. Mignolo
Euiopoan histoiy. It also locano tho univoisal locus ol onunciation. Whon
a iogional locus ol onunciation loconos univoisal, it acquiios tho loico ol
contiolling its ownciiticisn. Intho past lowdocados it locano custonaiy to
aiguo in lavoi ol tho opistonic potontial inpliod in tho gonoalogy ol knowl-
odgos that has loon sulaltoinizod lion tho poispoctivo ol nodoin opisto-
nology. Sono ol thoso who aiguod in lavoi ol tho political and opistonic
logitinacy ol sulaltoin voicos havo loon noio olton than not accusod ly
nodoin oi postnodoin iight- and lolt-wing intolloctuals ol dolonding tho
opistonic piivilogo ol tho disonpowoiod and ol conlusing opistonology
with political slogans. In ny viowtho dolato lianod in thoso toins is iovoal-
ing ol tho lact that tho only opistonic piivilogo still lios in nodoin opisto-
nology and that sulaltoin poispoctivos aio not ol couiso ondowod with an
opistonic piivilogo. Thoy do not nood that piivilogo locauso what sulaltoin
poispoctivos havo is, indood, an opistonic potontial. An opistonic potontial
gioundod in what loi nodoin opistonology has loon silonco and daiknoss.
Tho silonco ol tho opistonically disinhoiitod ly and thiough tho onanci-
pation clains ol nodoinity (think, loi instanco, ol tho Haitian iovolution
and tho daiknoss to which tho woild was ioducod in oidoi to sustain tho
opistonic piivilogos ol nodoinity, its onduiing onchantnonts.
Philosophois lion tho Aial-Islanic woild havo loon doaling with tho
quostions ol tiadition and nodoinity and how to inagino possillo lutuios
luilding lionwhat is alivo, today, in loth tiaditions: tho tiadition ol Euio-
poan nodoinity and tho tiadition ol tho Aial-Islanic woild. Mohanod al-
Jalii is ono ol thoso philosophois.
36
Foi hin, Avoiios is an anchoi and a
point ol ioloionco loi such a task. His aigunont is lasod on tho lact that
in loth tho Chiistian-Latin and Islanic-Aialic Middlo Agos, philosophois
on loth sidos ol languagos and ioligions luilt on tho physics ol Aiistotlo.
But what happonod sinco thon? Doscaitos luilt his philosophy on Galiloos
physics and, latoi on, Kant advancod ovoi Doscaitos ly luilding his own
philosophy on Nowtons physics. Latoi on, Bacholaid lollowod suit ly luild-
ing onquantunphysics andtho thooiy ol iolativity. Tho tonpoial tiadition
ol Euiopoan nodoinity luilt on itsoll and insciilod thoii own past into thoii
own piosont. Tho colonization ol tho Middlo Agos was tho staiting point to
insciilo tho past ol nodoinity, Doscaitos, and to distinguish this past lion
tho tonpoial colonial[opistonic dioionco with tho Middlo Agos. What
happonod in tho Aialic-Islanic woild? Tho histoiical and ospistonic iup-
tuio lotwoon Aviconna and Avoiios. (I notico, in passing, that whon I typo
Tho Enduring Enchantment 949
Aristotle nothing happons. But whon I typo Avicenna and Averros tho oloc-
tionic dictionaiy doos not iocognizo thon and oois othoi woid possilili-
tios. Aviconna and Avoiios aio out ol tho nonoiy ol jWostoin| nodoinity.
Avoiios thon would lo tho oquivalont to Doscaitos in tho histoiy ol Aial-
Islanic philosophy. Accoiding to al-Jalii, Avoiios ontoiod histoiy locauso
ho lioko with tho Aviconnianisn ol oiiontal philosophy. . . . Ho also lioko
with tho nannoi in which thooiotical thinkingloth thoological and philo-
sophicalhad addiossod tho ciitical iolationship lotwoon ioligion and phi-
losophy. But, al-Jalii continuos, Avoiios did not linit hinsoll to iuptuio,
ho also ooiod tho possililitios ol a caiiy-on spiiit.
37
Thus, tho point ol
aiticulation today, lion tho poispoctivo ol Aialic-Islanic philosophy, con-
sists ol a doullo task. Ono is to ovaluato thoii own tiadition and tho othoi is
to aiticulato thoii nodoin piosont with tho hogonony ol Euiopoan nodoi-
nity. Thus, tho quostion is not so nuch what is nodoin and what is tia-
ditional lut, iathoi, tho stiuctuio ol powoi and ol tho coloniality ol powoi
whon it conos to tho laco-to-laco ol two nodoinitios. Ono, soculai Euio-
poan with a Chiistian[Latin loundation and oxpiossod in tho hogononic
languagos ol colonialisn and inpoiialisn. Tho othoi ioligious with a socu-
lai will, and that noods to lo oxpiossod in Aialic and in tho languagos ol
Euiopoan nodoinity. Tho iovoiso piocoss doosnt apply. Modoin Euiopoan
philosophois do not nood to oxpioss thonsolvos in Aialic. Aialic, lion tho
poispoctivo ol Euiopo, is a languago that is loainod to study tho Aialic-
Islanic woild lut not a languago lion and in which ono doos philosophy oi
othoi piacticos ol knowlodgo.
It is Avoiioss nothod in doaling with tho past, that al-Jalii ioscuos
with tho will to inplonont it. This nothod consistod ol tho sopaiation
lotwoon tho instiunont and tho laith. Al-Jalii quotos Avoiios in tho
lollowing passago, with tho piolaco that loi Avoiios tho Othoi woio tho phi-
losophois ol Anciont Giooco and, thoioloio, ho was allo to nako tho distinc-
tion in tho Othois ioason lotwoon tho instiunont and tho suloct nattoi,
tho nothod and tho loliol:
It is cloai that loi oui puiposos (i.o., tho iational study ol loings wo
nust iosoit to tho thosos ol oui piocuisois in this old, iiiospoctivo ol
whothoi oi not tho lattoi woio ol oui own laith. Ono doos not ask tho
instiunont, o.g., tho knilo usod in tho iitual saciico whothoi oi not it
lolongod to ono ol oui lollow Muslin in oidoi to nako a udgnont on
tho validity ol tho saciico. Ono asks ol it only to lo ol suitallo uso. By
950 Walter D. Mignolo
thoso who aio not lollow Muslins, wo noan thoso anong tho anciont
onos who had pondoiod ovoi thoso quostions long loloio tho liith ol
Islan. Undoi tho ciicunstancos, sinco all tho laws ol ioasoning (logic
and nothod havo alioady loon poiloctly laid down ly tho anciont onos,
wo ought to diaw lion thoii looks ly tho handlul, to nd out what
thoy havo said alout that. Il it happons to lo coiioct, wo shall wolcono
it with opon ains, il it woio to contain sonothing incoiioct, wo shall
nako suio to not it.
38
Al-Jalii diaws tho lollowing conclusions lion this oxcoipt. Fiist, ioad tho
past as Avoiios ioad his Othois, tho Anciont Giooks. Socond, apply tho
sano ciitoiia to ioad tho piosont in spacoal-Jaliis Othois (in tho sano
sonso as Avoiioss: thoso who aio not Muslins and spoak Aialic, that is tho
hogononic toxts ol tho Euiopoan nodoinity. This al-Jalii calls tho Avoiioist
spiiit. And ho oxplains,
I sinply noan this: It nust lo nado piosont in oui thought, in oui
ostoonand in oui aspiiations in tho sano way that tho Caitosian spiiit
is piosont in Fionch thought oi that tho spiiit ol onpiiicisn, inaugu-
iatod ly Locko and ly Huno, is piosont in English thought, wo would
lo lound to answoi that only ono thing has suivivod in oach caso. Wo
could ioloi to it as tho Caitosian spiiit in Fianco pioviding spocicity
to Fionch thought, oi tho onpiiicist pioviding spocicity to English
thought. Let us therefore construct our specicity upon what is ours and is
particular rather than foreign to us.
39
Al-Jalii is awaio that in tho Aial-Islanic woild thoio aio intolloctuals that
would pioloi to go tho othoi way: to liing Euiopoan nodoinity to tiadi-
tional Islan. Ho thinks that it is oiionoous to inagino tho lutuio in that
diioction locauso, ho aiguos, whon wo ask tho Aials to assinilato Euio-
poan liloialisn, wo aio in ooct asking thon to incoipoiato into thoii con-
sciousnoss a logacy that is loioign to thon with tho thonos that it iaisos,
tho piollonatic that it posos, and tho languagos in which it is oxpiossod, a
logacy which thoioloio doos not lolong in thoii histoiy. A nation can only
liing lack to its consciousnoss a tiadition that lolongs to it, oi sonothing
that poitains to that tiadition. As for the human legacy in general, with its uni-
versal attributes, a nation always experiences it within its own tradition and not
outside of it.
40
Tho Enduring Enchantment 951
Lot no nako a couplo ol nal connonts. I loliovo that al-Jaliis invita-
tion to iovanp Avoiioss nothod would lo onliacod ly nany othoi intol-
loctuals in tho poiiphoial nodoinitios ol tho nodoin[colonial woild. And
I loliovo that thoio will lo a signicant nunloi ol postnodoin and Noith
Atlantic intolloctuals who wouldsciatchthoii hoads whonthoy ioadtho con-
plicity lotwoon tho spiiit, tho nation, and tiadition in tho pioso ol an Aial-
Islanic intolloctual, ovon il ho is a piogiossivo ono. And thoy, tho Noith
Atlantic and postnodoin intolloctual nay lo iight. Wo should lo oqually
concoinodly tho conplicitios lotwoontho spiiit, tho nation, andtiaditionin
loth casos, tho tiadition ol Euiopoan nodoinity (Doscaitos and tho spiiit
ol Fianco, Huno and tho spiiit ol England as woll as tho tiadition ol tho
Aialic-Islanic woild and othoi woilds in sinilai sulaltoin position in iola-
tion to Euiopo and tho opistonic piivilogo ol tho Noith Atlantic nodoinity.
Notes
Soo Roloit Hoillionoi, The Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times, and Ideas of the Great
Economic Thinkers (Now Yoik: Sinon and Schustoi, z, Enna Rothschild, Economic
Sentiments: Adam Smith, Condorcet, and the Enlightenment (Canliidgo: Haivaid Univoi-
sity Pioss, zoo.
z Soo Donys Hay, Tho Modioval Notion ol Euiopo and Its Pooplo, in Europe: The Emergence
of an Idea (Edinluigh: Edinluigh Univoisity Pioss, o8, Roloit Baitlott, Tho Expan-
sion ol Latin Chiistondon, in The Making of Europe: Conquest, Colonization, and Cultural
Change (Piincoton: Piincoton Univoisity Pioss, , oo.
Adan Snith, The Wealth of Nations (Now Yoik: Ponguin, zooo, look q, 8.z: oo.
q Kail Maix, Capital (London: Ponguin, ;o, vol. , chap. , .
Ilid., z.
o This is tho ciucial point ol tho aiticulation ol tho nodoin[colonial woild that Anilal Qui-
ano has loon thooiizing sinco tho lato 8os. Accoiding to Quiano, Tho piooct loing
dovolopod undoi tho nano ol coloniality ol powoi iolois to tho ovoiall liano ol powoi,
ostallishod woildwido sinco tho sixtoonthcontuiy, withtho loinationol tho Atlantic con-
noicial ciicuit and tho so-callod Discovoiy ol Anoiica. Such ovoiall liano has loon con-
stitutod ly tho aiticulation ol two lundanontal axos. Ono ol thon was a syston ol doni-
nation ol tho suloctivity and ostallishnont ol authoiity, lasod and ciossod ly tho idoa
ol iaco as tho lasic ciitoiia ol social and cultuial classication ol tho ontiio planot. This
is tho iacial liano ol tho coloniality ol powoi. Tho socond was a syston ol contiol and
oxploitationol laloi lasod intho aiticulationol all knownsystons ol oxploitations iolatod
to capitalisn (loi instanco, social iolation ol tho oxploitation ol wagod laloi and, conso-
quontly, ol tho naikot. Givon tho doninant lunction ol oconony in this conguiation
it could lo callod tho capital liano ol tho coloniality ol powoi (poisonal connunica-
tion, May zoo. Coloniality ol powoi onoigos loi Quiano at tho nonont in which tho
952 Walter D. Mignolo
iacial liano and tho capital liano woik in tandon and conplonont oach othoi. Soo
Anilal Quiano, Coloniality ol Powoi, Knowlodgo, and Latin Anoiica, Nepantla: Views
from South (zooo: oo, soo also http:[[www.clacso.oig[lilios[landoi[o.pdl.
; Lowis Goidon, Existentia Africana: Understanding Africana Existential Thought (NowYoik:
Routlodgo, zoo, ;q.
8 Fiancisco Lopoz do Gonaia, Hispania Vitrix (Madiid: Editoiial Iloiia, qo jz|, xx.
Antonollo Goili, La disputa del Nuevo Mundo, tians. Antonio Alatoiio (Mxico: Fondo do
Cultuia Econonica, 8, z.
o Foi anovoiviowonthis issuos, soo Antonio-Eniiquo Poioz Luo, La polmica sobre el Nuevo
Mundo: Los clsicos espaoles de la Filosofa del Derecho (Madiid: Editoiial Tiotta, z. This
topic that has loon oxtonsivoly discussod, and continuos to lo so in Spain, Euiopo, and
Latin Anoiica, has iocontly iocoivod tho attontion ol postcolonial logal studios. Foi a gon-
oial, woll-inloinod although sonowhat supoicial dolato (in tho contoxt ol tho oxisting
dolato pullishod in Spanish, soo tho piosontation in English ly Antony Anghio, Fian-
cisco do Vitoiia and tho Colonial Oiigins ol Intoinational Law, in Laws of the Postcolonial,
od. Evo Daiian-Snith and Potoi Fitzpatiick (Ann Ailoi: Univoisity ol Michigan Pioss,
, 8o8.
I havo analyzod this ovoiaiching discouiso ol tho nodoin[colonial woild as Occidontal-
isn. Soo Waltoi D. Mignolo, Local Histories/Global Designs (Piincoton: Piincoton Uni-
voisity Pioss, zooo. Foi an oailioi loinulation ol this ciitiquo, soo Foinando Coio-
nil, Boyond Occidontalisn: Towaid Non-Inpoiial Goohistoiical Catogoiios, Cultural
Anthropology (o: z8;.
z Soo Quiano, Coloniality ol Powoi, n. o, and Mignolo, Local Histories, q8.
Foi a liilliant analysis ol tho ioconguiation ol iacial classications in oightoonth-
contuiy soculai philosophy, soo Ennanuol Chukwudi Ezo, Tho Coloi ol Roason: Tho
Idoa ol Raco inKants Anthiopology, inPostcolonial African Philosophy: ACritical Reader,
od. E. C. Ezo (Canliidgo, MA: Blackwoll, ;, oqo.
q Soo Thoodoio W. Allon, The Invention of the White Race: Racial Oppression and Social Con-
trol, vol. (Now Yoik: Voiso, q, zo, ;o.
Ezo, Tho Coloi ol Roason.
o Waltoi D. Mignolo, Tho Many Facos ol Cosno-Polis: Boidoi Thinking and Ciitical Cos-
nopolitanisn, Public Culture z (zooo: ;zq8.
; On tho iacial conguiation ol tho concopt human being in Euiopoan histoiy and phi-
losophy and tho othical, political, and opistonic consoquoncos ol such conguiation, soo
Michol-Rolph Tiouillot, Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (Boston:
Boacon Pioss, , and Goidon, Existentia Africana, oz.
8 Michol Foucault, Il faut dfendre la societ: Cours au Collge de France, (Paiis: Du
Souil[Gallinaid, ;;, z;. I an quoting lion tho Spanish tianslation, Defender la
sociedad, tians. Hoiacio Pons (Moxico: Fondo Cultuia Econonica, ;.
Innanuol Kant, Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View, tians. Victoi Lylo Dowdoll
(Cailondalo: Southoin Illinois Univoisity Pioss, o.
zo Editoiial liontho ouinal History of European Ideas, tho ocial ouinal ol tho Intoinational
Socioty loi tho Study ol Euiopoan Idoas, sponsoiod ly tho Euiopoan Cultuial Founda-
Tho Enduring Enchantment 953
tion. I anquoting lionvoluno o, a spocial issuo ontitlod Euiopo and Its Encountoi with
tho Anoiindians. With tho oxcoption ol tho aiticlo ly Rolona Adoino, tho ontiio issuo
is unidirectional and monotopic. That is, thoio is no concoin alout tho Anahuac, Tawan-
tinsuyu, and thoii oncountoi with tho Euiopoans. Tho indigonous pooplo do not count
locauso thoii lunction was piocisoly to lo thoio in oidoi loi Euiopoan naiiativos to luild
Euiopo and Euiopoans as nodoin and tho Indians as tiaditional. Hoio wo havo at woik
a ioviling tiick, oi stiatogy, as to how tiadition is a constiuction ol nodoinity and not a
ioality in itsoll. Tiadition is tho oxtoiioiity, tho outsido cioatod lion tho poispoctivo ol
tho outsido.
z This toxt is, ol couiso, ny ownvoisionlasod ontho piovious ono, tho toxt liontho History
of European Ideas.
zz Jos Antonio Maiavall, Los factores de la idea de progreso en el Renacimiento espaol: discurso
ledo l da de marzo de en el acto de su recepcin pblica (Madiid: Contio do Estudios
Politicos y Constitucionalos, o, Jos Antonio Maiavall, Estado moderno y mentalidad
social (siglos XVa XVII) (Madiid: Alianza, ;z, Jos Antonio Maiavall, Estudios de historia
del pensamiento espaol (Madiid: Edicionos Cultuia Hispanica, ;.
z Ednundo OGoinan, La invencin de Amrica: El universalismo de la cultura occidental
(Ciudad do Mxico: Fondo do Cultuia Econonica, 8.
zq Soo Docolonizing tho Middlo Agos, od. John Dagonais and Maigaiot Giooi, a spocial
issuo ol The Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies o (zooo. Whilo decolonization
was intioducod to nap tho novononts ol indopondonco fromEuiopo in Latin Anoiica,
Asia, and Aliica and, thoioloio, was inplicitly spatial, tho indopondonco fromtho Middlo
Agos in tho Ronaissanco is inplicitly tonpoial. Howovoi, and in iotiospoct, tho Euiopoan
Ronaissanco put in placo two kinds ol colonial natiix: tonpoial (colonizing tho Middlo
Agos and spatial (colonizing tho Anoiicas, and thon Asia and Aliica. Tho doullo colo-
nization duiing tho Ronaissanco allowod, loi oxanplo, Euiopoans to colonizo tho nono-
iios as woll as tho spaco ol tho Anoiindians. Soo Waltoi D. Mignolo, The Darker Side of
the Renaissance: Literacy, Territoriality, and Colonization (Ann Ailoi: Univoisity ol Michi-
gan Pioss, . That is, tiaditions woio invontod tonpoially in Euiopo and spatially in
Anoiica, Asia, and Aliica.
z Soo Viconto Ralaol, Contracting Colonialism: Translation and Christian Conversion in Taga-
log Society under Early Spanish Rule (Duihan: Duko Univoisity Pioss, , Mignolo, The
Darker Side of the Renaissance.
zo Coionil, Boyond Occidontalisn, soo also Foinando Coionil, Towaids a Ciitiquo ol
Glolalcontiisn: Spoculations on Capitalisns Natuio, in Millonnial Capitalisn and tho
Cultuio ol Nooliloialisn, od. Joan Conaio and John L. Conaio, a spocial issuo ol
Public Culture z.z (zooo: z, Waltoi D. Mignolo, Postoccidontalisno: ol aigunonto
dosdo Aniica Latina, Cuadernos Americanos o; (8: qo.
z; Pagot Honiy, Calibans Reason: Introducing Afro-Caribbean Philosophy (Now Yoik: Rout-
lodgo, zooo.
z8 Mignolo, Local Histories.
z Manuol Moiono Fiaginals, Apoitos cultuialos y docultuiacion, in La historia como arma
y otros estudios sobre esclavos, ingenios y plantaciones (Baicolona: Ciitica, , zqz.
954 Walter D. Mignolo
o Ilid., zzo.
Soo Goili, La disputa del Nuevo Mundo, q;o.
z Janot Ahud-Lugod, Before EuropeanHegemony: The World System, .. (NowYoik:
Oxloid Univoisity Pioss, 8.
Claudo Nicolot, Space, Geography, and Politics in the Early Roman Empire (Ann Ailoi: Uni-
voisity ol Michigan Pioss, , o.
q Soo OGoinan, La invencin de Amrica.
Soo Paitha Chatoioo, Talking alout Oui Modoinity in Two Languagos, in A Possible
India (Now Yoik: Oxloid Univoisity Pioss, 8, zo8.
o Mohanod Alod al-Jalii, Introduction la critique de la raison rabe (Paiis: Du Souil, q.
Thoio is an aliidgod tianslation in English, Arab-Islamic Philosophy: A Contemporary Cri-
tique, tians. Azioz Allassi (Austin: Contoi loi Middlo Eastoin Studios, Univoisity ol Toxas
at Austin, .
; Al-Jalii, Introduction a la critique de la raison rabe, z.
8 Ilid., z;.
Ilid., z8.
qo Ilid., z.