The French Colonial Myth And Constitution Making In The Fourth Republic

This skillful synthesis of political science and history examines the impact of the French colonial myth - the vision of an indissoluble link between France and the colonies - on France’s political elite during the constitutional crisis of 1946. The author traces the evolution of the colonial myth over more than a century and shows how this conception influenced the values, goals, and decisions of both metropolitan and overseas leaders. He dissects the strategies of de Gaulle, the French Communists, the colonial deputies, and the other participants in the constitutional debate, showing how each group sought to bargain for institutions that fit its view of France’s colonial role. D. Bruce Marshall’s investigation of French internal and international politics yields a cogent explanation of the failure of French leaders to grasp the nature of colonial nationalism and of their inability to find a peaceful path to decolonization. "A splendid piece of research," says Wm. Roger Louis of the book. "Nothing like it exists in French, not to mention English. It fills a major gap in the literature of colonial history."