"Waiting for the Barbarians" is a novel by J.M. Coetzee that explores themes of power, colonialism, and morality. The story is set in a remote frontier town of an unnamed empire, where a magistrate grapples with his conscience as he witnesses the treatment of the indigenous Barbarians by the imperial forces. As tensions rise between the empire and the Barbarians, the magistrate's internal conflict deepens. He becomes increasingly aware of the injustices inflicted upon the Barbarians and questions his own role within the oppressive system, leading to a profound moral awakening.