A Deterritorialized History: Investigating German Colonialism ...

existed before the nation-state, Deleuze and Guattari believe the polymorphic state serves
a regulatory function in controlling space, a perfect linkage to colonial relations between
the nation-state and the colony.
Another critical facet of Deleuze and Guattari’s theory is economic relationships.
This is evident when Deleuze sides with Louis Althusser’s structural Marxism and opines
that “the economic is the social dialectic itself.” 32 Hence, Deleuze and Guattari see
capitalism as the epitome of deterritorialization. 33 While capitalism is intrinsically
connected with the state, the evolution of private property is purported to have rendered
the state unnecessary as global capital now presents the decisive deterritorialization since
it does not require the presence of the state and the state does need capitalism. The state
also provides a moderating energy upon the superior deterritorialization of capitalism and
in doing so, bestows “compensatory reterritorializations” upon capitalism. 34
Deterritorialization thus serves as the obliteration of plurality, and the homogenization of
space through capitalism. 35 Similarly, capitalism is also the ultimate nomadic and
deterritorializing force, possessing no territorial boundaries and having its roots in cross-
cultural interaction. Deterritorialization allows the authors to reveal how capitalism
colonizes human desire by subsuming all needs under economics. 36 The skilful balance
of radical change and reversion in relations between the society, state and capitalism has
significant potential for the study of the human interactions within colonialism.
Crucial to this investigation and to Deleuze and Guattari is the extension of
power, especially that of colonialism. The authors see empires mostly as abstract
“megamachines,” but differ from Foucault in seeing such power as infinitely contestable
and not at all unavoidable. 37 The conquest of territory by this force necessitates the
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