FRENCH POLICY IN AFRICA 1960-1980: A CASE STUDY IN NEO-COLONIALISM
FRENCH POLICY IN AFRICA 1960-1980: A CASE STUDY IN NEO-COLONIALISM
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Date
1989-07
Authors
YAHYA, Mahmoud
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Abstract
AS a direct consequence of the Second World War, France and
other colonial powers began the process of releasing their
colonies to independence. In doing so, however, the French
leaders, notably under President Charles De Gaulle, took steps to
ensure that the metropolitan power did not lose out completely.
They did so by introducing the so-called Loi Cadre, which is a
regime of measures calculated to maintain France's hold on the
former colonies. It consisted, among other things, of a referendum
in the colonies to decide on their continued association with
France after independence. This led to the formation of the French
Community of States, a kind of Commonwealth, through which
France hoped to exercise control over the economic, political and
defence policies of the newly independent countries, facilitated by
treaties and accords. Most importantly, the newly independent
countries were to remain within the franc zone, even though the
African franc was devalued about 100% against the French franc.
Defence treaties ensured France's control over the manning,
training and utilisation of the African armed forces in accordance
with the overall interest of the French Community. The economic
and trade agreements saw to it that France had the first priority to
import African raw materials and to sell finished goods within the
Community. Politically, periodic meetings of the Community's
Heads. of State helped to check any excesses and brought
everyone into line in the formulation of general policies. In her bid
to ensure the defence of her perceived interests in Africa, France
went outside her sphere of influence into the English-speaking
African countries, such as Nigeria, Ghana, Rhodesia and South
Africa, to either cause confusion or promote close relations in the
field of commerce, industry and culture. France's role in the
Nigerian Civil War was calculated to destablise the country which
was seen by the French as a threat to their own influence in the
Sub-region. Relations with Rhodesia under Ian Smith, and with
apartheid South Africa, revealed the opportunistic, albeit selfcentred,
nature of French foreign policy. Paris broke United
Nations sanctions and employed all sorts of under-handed
methods in order to protect her trading, scientific and investment interests in the two countries. Whilst ignoring Black African opinion
on this score, the French also pursued a pseudo-racist policy at
home, where deliberate efforts were made to encourage the
repatriation of Africans from France. The policy of assimilation
which was vigorously pursued during the colonial days was now
doomed to failure. The various methods used by French leaders to
control and influence the economic, political, security and cultural
policies of their former colonies as fully discussed and analysed in
this study constitute the phenomenon we call neo-colonialism.
Description
DISSERTATION IN FULFILMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE
DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
ZARIA, NIGERIA.
Keywords
FRENCH POLICY IN AFRICA,, 1960-1980,, NEO-COLONIALISM