Assimilation policy

Assimilation policy

The idea of colonial assimilation is said to have its root in the Roman Empire, especially in the imperial era. It became the central doctrine of the Third Republic of France's colonial policy in the 19th and the early 20th centuries "as a symbol of equality" (Betts 1961, 16). According to the assimilation ideology, all French subjects—including people living in French colonies—should adopt French culture to be enlightened and civilized. Therefore, they could enjoy rights as a French citizen and reciprocally, they should be obliged to fulfill their duties to France.
The assimilation policy was later changed and the French colonialism shifted to the association policy.

References:
Betts, Raymond F. 1961. Assimilation and Association in French Colonial Theory 1890–1914. New York: Columbia University Press.
Wikipedia. 2022. "Assimilation (French Colonialism)." Last modified May 14, 2022 (22 May 2022).

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