Association policy

Association policy

Contrasting to the policy of assimilation, the French association policy emphasized fraternity rather than equality by adopting French culture. This policy adopts the viewpoint of Social Darwinism which states that the strongest would survive through natural selection. Hence, the French should collaborate with the colonized to thrive and gain benefits for their motherland, instead of making them become French.
"Underlying these thoughts was the realization that a strong type of cooperation between colonial and native was imperative. This would be best achieved, ran the accepted argument, through the retention of native institutions. All French efforts were to be directed toward developing the region; in this task French and natives would be "associated," each doing what best suited its abilities and stage of development." (Betts 1961, 107)
However, the policy's name is only the representation to adjust their colonialism policy. In reality, the French always exploited their colonies' subjects rather than collaborating in the equal or fraternal manner.

Reference:
Betts, Raymond F. 1961. Assimilation and Association in French Colonial Theory 1890–1914. New York: Columbia University Press.

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