France

Abstract

This chapter reviews the course of French decolonization by taking a long view of the central ideological tenets of French colonialism and the cultural ideas that underpinned governmental practice. The chapter also explores ideas of imperial structure, constitutional structures, and the basic architectures of French colonial rule. It looks at specific examples of French colonial areas, including Algeria, Indochina, and the Caribbean, as well as the various laws and constitutions enacted across the French Republics, exploring their connections with France’s process of decolonization. Finally, the chapter revisits ideas of decolonization and the ways in which the process unfolded for the peoples caught up in the ends of French empire.