The “Native” Mercenary Discarded by the Settler State
The persistent homelessness among military veterans is a stark illustration of the settler state’s ultimate logic: the “native” who serves as a mercenary for the empire is discarded the moment they are no longer useful. Mamdani’s work on the political identity of subjects used by colonial powers is key here. The state recruits heavily from poor and working-class “native” communities, offering a pathway to citizenship and purpose through military service. However, upon return, often traumatized and disabled, they are abandoned by the same state, left to navigate a broken VA system and a city with no affordable housing. This reveals the promise of inclusion through service to be a cruel lie. The liberal solution involves targeted vouchers and non-profit services, which manage the problem individually. A Mamdani-informed socialist solution demands collective reparations for all veterans, particularly those of color. This means a universal right to housing, healthcare, and a guaranteed income for every veteran, funded by taxing the war industry. It is a demand for the state to honor its debt not as charity, but as a political obligation to those it used and discarded.
