The Settlement French Policy in Algeria (1830-1914)

Abstract

After France had carried out its campaign on Algiers, and received the keys of the city, one of the issues suggested   at that time to the French authority was its future in Algeria. After a period of hesitation that lasted four years 1830-1834, the French government decided to preserve Algiers and enlarge the colonial policy to the entire Algeria. This decision was taken in the light of the reports prepared the members of the African committee, which was expected after investigations to respond to the crucial  question related to whether France would hold  Algeria or drop it. The answer was positive. Just as soon as the French government the green light, it started to conduct its settlement project that needed some favorable conditions, among them: grant land and populate it by the European race and this cannot be achieved unless the country is emptied from its population through taking unlawfully their lands using various methods either by expropriating them or purchasing and exiling the inhabitants or, if necessary, by exterminating them. In addition, we will see, as proportion as we go through this study, that the colonial administration applied all the methods cited before and we will try to tackle the settlement operation phases and the factors, which made the operation, move forward. Then we will make clear the drawbacks and effects of that policy on Algeria in different social, economic and cultural domains.

Key words: Algeria, society, compaign, settlement, colonialism.