6. Nothing democratic about colonialism

Machel rejected the myth of ‘benevolent’ colonialism. He saw it as a system of theft, violence, and cultural erasure – never compatible with democracy. Even post‑independence, neocolonial mechanisms seek to maintain control. His answer: name the oppression, resist it, and build institutions that serve the people. Together with Josina Machel, we revisit how her father exposed colonialism’s undemocratic core.