Tomiyama Ichiro and Karl Marx Analytical Essay by Top Papers

The paper looks at Tomiyama Ichiro's concept of the "Observing Subject" and juxtaposes it against Karl Marx's approach to colonialism. The paper shows how while the "Observing Subject" of Ichiro's imagining seems mostly intent upon cultural spread and hegemony, Marx's conception of colonialism appears driven by capitalist spread and hegemony - which implicitly means finding new markets and new sources of cheap wage-labour. The paper highlights how both Ichiro and Marx have the same view of colonialism - it is the imposition of one group upon another group - but, whereas Tomiyama emphasizes the ethnocentricity and cultural chauvinism of the phenomenon, Marx emphasizes the economic aspects of colonialism.