A striking characteristic of colonialism was conflict and division based on differences. These referred to variation and diversity among the colonised and the colonisers. The huge disparity between the powerless and powerful essentially did stem from differences such as those in their origins, cultures and even skin colours. But these conflicts were not confined only to this power dynamic but extended to the conflicts among the great powers of the world at the time. As Sukarno points out in his speech, up until that time difference was only seen as a threat. Europe had always used difference in any shape or form as a reason for conflict. But he firmly believed the opposite. He felt this was an idea entrenched in colonialism which had to be left in the past for the global south to be able to progress. He wanted to use the diversity among the Afro-Asian world to their advantage, to use it as a means of solidarity. He saw only strength in solidarity as long as there was unity in desire. What he wanted to offer to the world was a new form of humanism, very different from the European humanism of the day. He wanted to smash the outdated ideas of colonialism and set new standards of equality. This idea we see resonating even in Dada’s travelogue.
When Dada Amir Haider travelled to the Soviet Union he was a young man, disillusioned by the system in the United States and ready to change the world. One can notice from his travelogue that the thing he finds most profound is how the university he is attending has students enrolled from across the globe. He is taken aback by the diversity of the students as well as the instructors and brings attention to it time and time again. Living previously in either colonial or capitalist states the normalcy of several different races working together, residing together and helping each other out is a completely new phenomenon to the young revolutionary. It is clear that the double standards of equality within colonialism have been thrown out of this new system which is based on real equality.
This real equality, he observes, can only be achieved through education. The communist state embraced Lenin’s ideas regarding education as the only way forward:
Our task is to learn, learn and learn.
Dada internalised these words and took a deep interest in all that he was taught at the university. This idea was inculcated by the state in its citizens. It was made an essential part of their world view. The state, and all who were part of it, saw education as the only path to progress and as the building block to establishing a new world order. This can clearly be seen through the Soviet posters of the time as well. Several examples can be found praising teachers, mentors and in general the pursuit of education.
Attached above are two posters around the time Dada was living in the Soviet Union and could be some of the Soviet propaganda he came across. One depicts Lenin teaching a child while the other glorifies the educators of the country. Seeing Lenin, who was hailed as a hero of the time, involving himself in a child’s education puts the pursuit as a priority in the lives of the people of the USSR. Through other posters education was clearly shown as the path to take or the ride to hop onto for a brighter future, the best route to take in order to leave the old world order behind.
This intense focus on education also ties into the ideas of equality discussed earlier. Dada describes the Soviet educational institutes as accessible to all kinds of people. But this was not the case in the previous order. Education was only for the privileged and places like the university were never open to the general public. These changing state ideologies and values complemented each other transforming the face of the USSR entirely in contrast to its colonial counterparts across the globe.
Decoloniality and Decolonization 