The Historical, Economic, and Political Bases of France's African Policy

TLDR

Since granting independence in the mid‑1970s, France has maintained significant political, economic, social, and cultural influence over West and Central African states through a tightly‑knit network of formal and informal ties, and its policy has remained remarkably stable across successive Fifth Republic governments. The study seeks to explain why France’s enduring dominance and policy continuity persist in post‑colonial Africa. By examining historical foundations, the authors identify that France’s post‑colonial policy is driven by intertwined economic and political interests that form its core explanatory variables. The analysis concludes that France employs a neo‑colonial strategy designed to preserve a status quo that benefits conservative Western and French interests.

Abstract

A Quarter of a century has elapsed since France granted independence to her former colonies in West and Central Africa. Yet to this day, France continues to wield considerable power and influence in these countries politically, economically, socially, and culturally, thanks to a tightly-knit network of formal and informal relations. France's African policy has been remarkably constant and stable through the various successive governments of the Fifth Republic. How can this persistent situation of dominance/dependency and this continuity in foreign policy be accounted for? More specifically, the present study tries to analyse the main characteristics and essential mechanisms of France/s post-colonial policy in Africa, all too often shrouded under a veil of secrecy, albeit premised on a number of historical factors for its ideological foundation. On this basis, a variety of economic and political interests have been developed which constitute the main elements of this policy and its principal explanatory variables. Eventually, it is concluded that a neo-colonial strategy has been adopted in order to preserve a status quo that is clearly favourable to the conservative interests of the western world in general, and to France in particular.