Young, in his Postcolonialism: an Historical Introduction (2003), gives a significant contribution to

exploration of postcolonialism through examination of the history and use of the term itself. He
states that the debate atound it could be averted if the postcolonial was to be defined as that which
comes after colonialism and imperialism, but is still in the framework od imperialism in its later sense
as the global system of hegemonic economic power. However, he goes further on to describe
postcolonialism as a 'theoretical and political position which enbodies an active concept of
intervention within such oppressive circumstances' (Young, 2003). Postcolonial theories 'analyze the
material and epistemological conditions of postcoloniality and seek to combat the continuing, often
covert, operation of an imperialist system of economic, political and cultural domination. The global
situation of social injustice demands postcolonial critique from the position of its victims, not its
perpetrators' (Young, 2003). Before the birth of postcolonial cultural critique as political and
academic practice, the term 'post-colonial' in the hyphenated from was used with a Marxist
reference, which is still the case in political, economic and international relations discourse.
Therefore, the concept of 'postcolonial' was identified with Marxist pratictices in many newly
independent states which employed different forms of Marxism, especially regarding free market
economics. As the time passed, the conditions of world economics significantly changed from the
1950s and 1960s, when the term 'post-colonial' was first used. Indeed, the era of communism may
be over, but capitalist economic imperialism has become its successor. Today, there is only one
economic system to which the world is adjusting. Postcolonialism now provides criticism of the new
world system to which the world adjusting. Postcolonialism now provides criticism of the new world
system and postcolonial struggles for true independence and autonomy share a very complex
battlefield, dispersed worldwide through globalized organizations and practices (Young, 2003).
Since colonialism and imperialism were heterogeneous concepts and practices,
postcolonialism itself cannot be thought of as a unified theory with a single priority and position.
Moreover, Young (2003) does not consider postcolonialism a theory, in the narrow sense of the
word, particularly because it does not lean on a single methodology in order to draw its conclusions.
Rather, postcolonialism employs its correlation with contemporary writing, history, politics and
different theoretical pratctices in order to draw its own sets of conclusions and insights. The
importance of these insights lies in their focus on the subjective, hence the institutional orgins of
postcolonialism are in literary departmens of academic institutions where the focus on the individual,
personal experience is taken seriously (Young, 2003).