EXAMINE THE MAJOR FEATURES OF THE FRENCH POLICY OF ASSIMILATION IN SENEGAL BEFORE 1914.

EXAMINE THE MAJOR FEATURES OF THE FRENCH POLICY OF ASSIMILATION IN SENEGAL BEFORE 1914.

Approach
• Define assimilation policy as employed by the French in Senegal.
• Identify and analyze the major feature of this policy in Senegal.
Background
• It operated effectively in four Senegalese communes i.e. Rufisque, Dakar, St Louis and Goree
• Each commune had its own elected council under a major or as a president.
• The above council was under an elected general council for the province.
• In 1848 they attained a right to elect and send a deputy to the French national assembly.
• They used centralized system (federalism) which had its base at Dakar
Points to consider
At the top was secretary for colonies (residence in Paris),
The Governor General (Headquarters were at Dakar,
Lieutenant governor (head of a colony),
Commandant de Cercle (provincial ruler)
Chief de subdivision (district level)
I. The policy was more repressive i.e. forced labour and it was a new form slavery.
2. The French regarded their colonies as overseas provinces i.e. it did not at creating independent African states but strong provinces of the metropolitan France.
3. The French regarded their colonies as overseas provinces i.e. it did no. at creating independent African states but strong provinces of the metropolitan France.
4. African kings were seen as obstacles to colonial despotism, they worked if they accepted to work as agents of Colonial administration.
5. French administrators had a lot of judicial powers in their colonies, they neglected customary laws, except in civil cases they used 1887 indignant law.
6. They used centralized system of administration with its headquarters at Dakar.
7. The richer and more accessible regions would support the poorer and more remote ones.
8. Administrators had to oversee tax collection, organized forced labour, and to ensure that special crops were grown.
9. The Senegal economy consisted of the growing of ground nuts which related to that of the French.
30. The system had a lot of conditions to fulfill i.e. give up African culture.
11. The education system was under French Catholics dominated by the French and few Africans.
12. Finance and trade was dominated by the French firms based on France.
13. Elections in the four communes were as in France based on universal male suffrage.


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15. DISCUSS THE FACTORS THAT ENABLES LIBERIA TO ESCAPE EUROPEAN COLONIALISM

Added on: 18 Mar 2016
Last Modified on: 18 Mar 2016
NB: Background already given in previous questions. .;'
Points to consider
1. Their independence had been recognized by the International low, as the Afro -American settlers inspired by their National Motto worked tire to protect their independence at all costs
2. They were already civilized and were already Christians, so there was no need for Europeans to colonise them as they had claimed elsewhere.
3. Initial interest of America for she was Liberia’s patron, America being strong, European powers didn't easily interfere with Liberia e.g. in 1908, Roosevelt put up diplomatic pressure on the governments of Britain, Germany and France which they accepted to leave Liberia alone.
4. Liberia carefully treated the debt burden against creditor nations, even when it was failing, America could rescue them e.g. in 1906, Liberia was about to lose her independence to Britain, However America paid off the debt.
5. Liberia had not attracted a lot of investments from European investors because of low population this coupled with tropical diseases, Europeans were scared off.
6. Leaders of Liberia was determined to protect their independence at least politically
7. Abolition of a multi-party system, mulatoes were represented by the republican party yet the indigenous people were represented by the True Whig Party however, learning that divisionism and serious opposition would weaken them, they developed a sense of unity and Nationalism. Once one group was defeated in elections they would be opposition group had its leaders absorbed into the victor party.
8. The policy co-existence and assimilation which helped to solve tension between the mulatoes with the indigenous Africans
9. Signing of boundary agreement between the French and the British in 1907 and 1911 respectively where Liberia-Sierra Leone frontier was solved
10. Good relationship with the neighbours, it peacefully co-existed with other countries and hence had few enemies
11. Economic depression of 1890's also scared off the would be colonizers of Liberia
12. Liberia had luck