Examples Of Power In The Salt Of The Earth

Possibilities of Power The understanding and implementation of power around the world has been a crucial component in countless historical events. Whether focusing on the effects of power from an outside agent or that developing within a specialized cultural world, the possibilities of power run endless. René Vautier’s French documentary, Afrique 50, boldly illustrates both aspects of power amidst a colonized, overworked African community, by detailing the troublesome effects that result from the faulty sense of earned, rightful power. This representation of power continues throughout Biberman’s, The Salt of the Earth, highlighting the blunt distinctions within power and the resulting actions of these interpretations. While both films clearly denote the strength and power of the outside forces, the actions illustrated among the cultural communities stimulate consciousness of power among their society, giving value to their individualized efforts. These differentials in power

As noted in the film, the extraction of natural resources and the overwhelming reliance on human labor to substitute the work of machinery ultimately gives rise to the development of power within these cultural communities. Although these people never consciously recognized the power within their societies, their joint efforts and opposition to the dominance of the French served as the foundation for the development of their societal power. With this new understanding, they sought reasoning for the exploitation, misery, and mass murder of their peoples by uniting all villages and demanding justification and ownership of their rightful property. The overwhelming dehumanization of African villagers served to foster the rise of power within their cultural communities, leading to justifiable resistance of foreign