Neither of the major contemporary theorists most closely associated with the legacy of the Frankfurt School, Jürgen Habermas or Axel Honneth, has made systematic reflection on the paradoxes and challenges produced by the waves of de-colonization that characterized the latter half of the twentieth century a central focus of his work in critical theory, nor has either theorist engaged seriously with the by now substantial body of literature in post-colonial theory or studies. In this paper, Allen argues that this silence is motivated by the particular role that ideas of historical progress, development, social evolution, and socio-cultural learning play in justifying and grounding the normative perspective of contemporary Frankfurt school critical theory.