A Deterritorialized History: Investigating German Colonialism ...

eciprocal reterritorialization means that capitalism establishes boundaries and
territorialities that are conducive to the colonizers’ market. This view reveals the authors’
adherence to rather simplistic ideas of the exploitative metropolis and the exploited
periphery. Nevertheless, this notion represents yet another engagement with the issue of
capitalism’s role in the world system advanced by many scholars of colonialism and
capitalism. 51
Deleuze and Guattari’s theories also pertain to the world history topic of
colonialism. Though colonialism does not figure in their work greatly, Deleuze and
Guattari do discuss colonialism in the context of hegemonic paradigms. 52 The
comparison with their other theories also reveals how colonization can be an excellent
example of schizophrenic connection, as well as deterritorializing and rhizomatic
movement. Trans-cultural interaction and transformation feature largely in both
deterritorialization and colonialism. As well, the increasing power of the economic
system in their idea of the state-capitalism relationship has obvious repercussions in
colonialism. Although Nicholas Thomas believes that “psychoanalytical” (by which he
means deconstructive) approaches to colonialism cannot bear fruit, the authors’ rejection
of the tools of orthodox psychoanalysis and literary deconstruction renders their theory an
adaptation of psychoanalysis that can more accurately render the colonial past. 53 This is
because their sociological and heterogeneous psychoanalysis holds benefit for world
history in its research into the universal human condition. 54
A crucial facet of colonial studies is the centre-periphery debate, focused upon
respective arguments over the driving force of colonial actions, either motivated by the
metropolis or by the periphery. In Deleuze and Guattari’s conception of the relationship,
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