As described by the Palestinian-American philosopher Edward Said in 1979, it was perceived as being made: "(a) by a European power, (b) about a non-European territory, (c) in a flat disregard of both the presence and the wishes of the native majority resident in that territory, and (d) it took the form of a promise about this same territory to another foreign group."
Como o describiu o filósofo palestino-americano Edward Said en 1979, percibiuse que se facía: «(a) por unha potencia europea, (b) sobre un territorio non europeo, (c) nun plano desprezo tanto da presenza e os desexos da maioría nativa residente nese territorio, e (d) tomaban a forma dunha promesa sobre este mesmo territorio a outro grupo estranxeiro».