Australia and the World Past and Present

France liked to claim that its colonies were different – that the nature of its colonialism was different to that of other European powers.

Algeria, it said, was not a colony but an integral part of France itself. It was “France trans-Mediterranee“.

Algeria had been legally incorporated into France.

From 1848 the coastal areas were re-organised into 3 “départements” – Alger, Oran and Constantine. They were considered to be administrative departments of metropolitan France.

Europeans in Algeria were considered French citizens. Meanwhile, indigenous Muslims were considered French subjects.

Until the mid-20th century, most of the Sahara was governed separately as “Territoires du Sud” (Southern Territories). These were not departments; they were military-administered territories with a different legal regime.

So, between 1848 and 1957, only the coastal region was departmentalised.

Between 1957 and 1962, all Algerian territory, including the Sahara, was organised into French departments. Of course, the precipitating factor for this change was the civil war (1954-62).

So legally, one might say that Algeria was part of France, politically and socially this was not the case for the majority of the population.

Senegal

Senegal was part of French West Africa (Afrique occidentale française or AOF). The AOF was a federation of colonies.

Inhabitants of 4 towns (including Dakar) were in an interesting position (and this included many African residents). They could vote in French elections and elect a deputy to the French National Assembly in Paris. It was the only place in sub-Saharan Africa where Africans could become French citizens without renouncing Islam. This set it apart from Algeria. However, a different system operated outside of these 4 towns.

Tunisia and Morocco.

Tunisia became a protectorate in 1881. Morocco followed in 1912.

Both had established ruling dynasties. There was the Husaynid dynasty in Tunisia and the Alaouite dynasty in Morocco. Both Tunisia and Morocco had preexisting states with functioning governments.

A protectorate is not exactly the same as a colony.

In a protectorate, the local state retains nominal sovereignty. The protecting power controls foreign affairs and defense. Internal governance often remains with the local rulers.

Thus one often finds indirect rule within protectorates.

If France had wanted to create full colonies in Tunisia and Morocco, it would have required overthrowing the local rulers and destroying long-established political institutions. It would have probably increased the level of local resistance, given that the colonising power would not have been Islamic. It would have also probably led to more international criticism from other European powers.

There were different models within French colonialism. Legally, Algeria was treated as part of France. Many Europeans settled in Algeria and it became a settler colony. Still, while Europeans there were considered French citizens, most Muslims were considered subjects.

Muslims in Senegal did not have to renounce Islam in order to become French citizens. However, this was only applicable in 4 towns and not in the countryside.

Tunisia and Morocco were technically protectorates rather than colonies. The French government used local rulers and institutions to govern through a form of indirect colonialism.