The French Colonial Structure

Question 1

Describe the French Administrative structure.

Answer 1

• Minister for colonies (Paris)
• Governor General (Dakar)
• Commandant de carcle (In charge of province)
• Chief de sub-division (in charge of district)
• Chiefs de Canton (in charge of location)
• Chief de village (in charge of sub-location)

Question 2

What was assimilation?

Answer 2

• The term assimilation means ‘similar to’ meaning that the assimilated Africans were to be same as Europeans in terms of culture.
• The policy of assimilation was perfected by Lewis Faidherbe in Senegal.
• The Europeans countries which practiced assimilation believed that their culture and civilization were superior to those of the Africans. The French considered their culture and civilization to be the best in the world, and that French had a mission to educate her colonial peoples in this rich heritage.

Question 3

Explain Association after assimilation.

Answer 3

• As years went by, the policy of assimilation changed to the concept of association, which had been initially developed and applied by Savorganan de Brazza in central Africa and Senegal.

Question 4

What did association invlolve?

Answer 4

• In this policy of association, the subjects were to be left to develop independently within their own cultures.
• The policy was turned to when it was realized that it was impractical because non-westerners were racially inferior and would never be accepted as equal to the Europeans.

Question 5

What were the requirements for assimilation?

Answer 5

• One must read, write and speak French language
• One must be converted to Christianity
• Knowing and practicing French legal system
  Knowing and practicing French civil and political system
• Those who had distinguished record in military service
• One who had learned French mannerism e.g. eating and dressing habits.
• People from the four communes in Senegal

Question 6

What were the names of the four communes where assimilation was applied?

Answer 6

• . St Louis,
• Goree,
• Rufisque
• Dakar

Question 7

What was the function and the three categories of rule through local chiefs with which Africans were ruled?

Answer 7

• Chiefs de Province – equivalent to paramount chief usually successions of pre-colonial chiefs.
• Chief de canton – were chiefs appointed by the French officials due to their ability. His duty was to register taxpayers, helped in conscription of Africans into the army and assisted in mobilization of forced labour.
• Chief de village were traditional heads of the village. Their roles were collection of taxes, maintenance of law and order, organizing relief during famine and maintenance of roads in their areas.

Question 8

What was the reason for assimilation in Senegal?

Answer 8

• There was a high percentage of mulattoes (children of mixed parentage between Africans and Europeans) This began way back in 1800 when the French population rose in St Louis. - The French made traders intermingle with African women giving rise to light skinned mulatto population, many of whom are found in Senegal today. This population accepted and identified with the French culture making it easy for the French to apply the policy of assimilation.
• The Africans in the communes were familiar with European traders, colonial administration and missionaries due to their long period of interaction.
  Many of the people in the communes had been converted to Christianity therefore found it easy to accept the policy of assimilation.

Question 9

Why did assimilation fail?

Answer 9

• Some African communities had never came into contact with the Europeans therefore were still intact with their culture. It was therefore difficult to assimilate them.
• French was mainly motivated by economic factors i.e. get raw materials at home and markets for her manufactured goods. This objective could not be achieved through the Africans who had attained the assimile status.
• Making Africans equal to the French men would make it difficult to force Africans to work in the French farms and mines.

Question 10

What were Consequences and effects of Assimilation in Senegal?

Answer 10

• Traditional African leaders lost their authority as they were replaced by assimilated Africans.
  The colony was incorporated into the French as an overseas province of France.
• Africans from Senegal were allowed to take part in political matters of France e.g. Blaise Diagne was elected as a deputy in the French parliament.
• Islam was greatly frustrated as Africans were forced to get converted to Christianity.
• There was a great rift between the assimilated Africans who were regarded as French citizens and the rest of the African communities who were opposed to forced labour and taxation.

Question 11

What were the characteristics of the policy of association?

Answer 11

• The assimilated Africans were regarded as French citizens as the other Africans were treated as subjects or second class citizens. This French civil and criminal law did not apply to them.
• The assimilated Africans retained their cultural practices e.g. polygamy and Islam.
• The subjects came under the system of law known as In this, the subjects could suffer arrest or be forced to serve a longer period in the army than the assimilated citizens.