How did Western colonialism shape the historical period known as postcolonialism?

Postcolonialism refers to the historical period and state of affairs following Western colonialism, as well as the ongoing project to reclaim the history and agency of those once subordinated by imperialism. Western colonialism shaped this period in several fundamental ways:1

• Legacy of Enlightenment: Postcolonialism is deeply engaged with the ambiguous legacy of the Enlightenment. While Enlightenment ideals provided tools for criticizing imperial injustice, these same concepts were often used to justify colonial domination by framing non-European peoples as "backward" or "uncivilized".123
• Identity and Agency: Colonialism imposed binary oppositions and alien rule over the minds and bodies of the colonized. Postcolonialism emerged as a response to this, with theorists like Frantz Fanon arguing that both the colonizer and the colonized must be decolonized to overcome the psychological and material horrors of imperial rule.3
• Structural Inheritance: The modern international system, including state boundaries and political institutions, was largely carved out by imperial powers. Postcolonial states have struggled to institutionalize democratic self-determination within these inherited structures.23
• Cultural Resistance: Colonialism utilized cultural imperialism to mitigate resistance by suppressing local languages, traditions, and religions. Consequently, postcolonialism involves a critical effort to reclaim indigenous history and assert control over cultural identity.24

Ultimately, postcolonialism is defined by the persistent, complex struggle to move beyond the structures of domination established during the era of empire.12