Episode 28: Divide and Rule

In this episode, host Manpreet Kaur Kalra invites listeners into a reflective and urgent conversation about the enduring legacy of "divide and rule," one of colonialism’s most insidious and effective strategies of domination. Often treated as a historical tactic, divide-and-rule (also referred to as divide-and-conquer) remains deeply embedded in today’s global systems, from political polarization to economic dependency. Manpreet reflects on how this strategy was not merely about creating divisions, but about surgically engineering hierarchies that pit communities against one another in service of control.

Through a historical lens, this episode examines how colonial regimes fractured societies along religious, ethnic, and social lines to undermine solidarity and resistance. The legacy of these interventions lives on – in borders, in conflict, and in the structural inequalities that underpin the Global North-Global South divide.

“Today, we still live with the hierarchies, the borders – literal and social – that were engineered to break solidarity.” — Manpreet Kaur Kalra, Art of Citizenry

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Unlearning the Colonial Divide

🔍 In this episode, we explore:

  • Historical examples of divide and rule, including: 

    • The 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan

    • The creation of Bantustans under apartheid South Africa 

    • Colonialism’s use of tribal divisions in Rwanda to weaken collective governance and how that underpinned the Rwandan Genocide 

  • The evolution of divide-and-rule tactics into modern-day “soft power” mechanisms used by:

    • Global institutions like the UN, IMF, and WTO

    • Multinational corporations that exploit weak regulatory environments and divided societies for profit

Manpreet draws a direct line from historical divide-and-rule policies to the scapegoating and “othering” seen in today’s politics—from anti-immigrant legislation to the assault on trans rights. These are not disconnected events, but rather the continuation of a well-worn strategy designed to distract and divide, making it harder for communities to organize and challenge dominant power structures.

“Othering is a calculated tool of control, designed to distract, divide, and deter collective resistance.” — Manpreet Kaur Kalra, Art of Citizenry

💭 Reflection Prompt

How do the tactics of divide-and-rule show up in your daily life, your community, or your field of work—and what does it look like to build across those divides?

Whether you’re a student of history, a social justice advocate, or simply curious about the ways power operates in our world, this episode offers a thoughtful, grounded look at how the past continues to shape our present—and how we might start to imagine something different.

“This isn’t a glitch in the system, it is the system. Divide-and-conquer was never just a tactic of the past; it was a blueprint – adapted to modern globalization.” — Manpreet Kaur Kalra, Art of Citizenry

📚 Resources & References

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Manpreet Kalra