Dr. Foued Ghedjati
Faculty Member of the University of Bouira, Algeria
Introduction
The debate on the crimes of French colonialism in Algeria and other former French colonies resurfaced after the adoption of the Law of 23 February 2005 by the French Parliament, particularly due to its Article 4, which referred to “the positive role of the French presence overseas, especially in North Africa.” This assertion compels us to reflect on the notion of “positive colonialism” claimed by France, through an examination of historical facts and the impact of its colonial policy in Algeria, in light of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1789, issued by the same French National Assembly that later enacted a law glorifying colonialism.
The significance of this reflection is heightened by its coincidence with two major historical milestones:
- 10 December 1948, the date of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a global landmark;
- 11 December 1960, the anniversary of the Algerian demonstrations during the National Liberation War, a national event with regional and international dimensions that reinforced the right of peoples to self-determination.
These two dates together embody two parallel dimensions:
- a real and practical dimension, representing the awakening of colonized nations to rise against domination and oppression;
- and a legal dimension, reflected in the influence of these events on United Nations resolutions and subsequent conventions that emphasized the necessity of decolonization—principles that stemmed directly from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Yet, there exists a profound contradiction within Western colonial thought and policy—one revealed by its double standards: while the West proclaims the universality of human rights, it simultaneously denies those very rights to the peoples it subjugates.
Research Question
To what extent is France’s claim of respect for and devotion to human rights—based on the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen—compatible with the reality of the crimes it committed during its occupation of Algeria?
The objective of this study is to reveal the true face of French colonialism—a system that, under the pretext of a “civilizing mission,” in practice pursued policies of torture, mass killings, and systematic annihilation. These actions reflect the inherent inequality between European peoples and others within the framework of Western thought.
The Distortion of Human Values in French Colonial Thought and Policy
- Racism and the Hierarchy of Nations in Western and French Thought
The struggle of European nations to secure human rights culminated in 1789 with the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, founded upon the revolutionary ideals of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. However, these lofty values remained confined to the borders of “civilized” European societies. Colonized peoples were excluded from them, perceived as inferior and unworthy of enjoying the same rights.
Western institutions therefore remained largely silent in the face of grave violations committed by colonial powers against subjugated nations—silence often justified by the rhetoric of the “civilizing mission.” France itself entered Algeria under this very slogan, yet its practices starkly contradicted the humanistic principles born of its own Revolution.
By its very nature, colonialism negates the existence of “the other.” It claims to “civilize,” yet in doing so, it destroys; it asserts its existence by denying that of others.
Consequently, human values in the colonial logic were exclusive to European societies—a reality France vividly demonstrated in its treatment of the Algerian people.
- General Bugeaud and the Logic of Imperial Arrogance
General Thomas-Robert Bugeaud, one of the principal architects of French colonial policy, expressed this mentality in a note to his peers:
“You are facing a warrior people, trained in the art of battle and ever ready for combat, a proud nation cherishing its independence. You must be strong—either by maintaining a permanent army or by strengthening the resolve of our own people to dominate and subdue.”
This statement perfectly encapsulates the arrogant and demeaning view of the French colonial system toward Algerians.
- Jules Ferry and the Ideological Justification of Colonialism
Jules Ferry, a French statesman, was one of the main theorists of colonial expansion. In his 1885 speech, he declared:
“Superior races have rights over inferior races; they have the duty to civilize them.”
He further stated:
“Colonial policy is the child of economic policy. Great France cannot leave a barbaric people to languish in ignorance and stagnation.”
This ideology of the so-called “civilizing mission,” inherited from ancient Rome, offered a moral pretext for domination and exploitation, grounded in the doctrine of racial superiority.
Crimes of Torture and Genocide in Algeria: Evidence of the Criminal Nature of French Policy
The atrocities of torture, massacres, and collective extermination inflicted upon the Algerian people expose the brutal essence of French colonialism—a project of domination and destruction, not of progress. Throughout 130 years of occupation, millions of Algerians fell victim to systemic violence: arbitrary arrests, executions, sexual assaults, and the burning of villages were part of daily colonial governance.
- Propaganda and the Manipulation of Public Opinion
France waged an extensive campaign of media propaganda and diplomatic deception, portraying the Algerian resistance as rebellion or terrorism, while denying the legitimacy of their struggle for independence. It employed psychological warfare, established internment camps, spread rumors, and accused the National Liberation Front (FLN) of being manipulated by foreign powers such as Cairo or Moscow—all in an effort to discredit the revolution.
- Firsthand Testimonies on Torture
Numerous French witnesses—lawyers, journalists, and soldiers—exposed the horrifying reality of French practices:
- In 1957, a group of French lawyers declared:
“The time has passed when officials could deny the existence of torture in Algeria; it has become an everyday reality.”
- Colonel Marcel Bigeard admitted to personally torturing the Algerian national hero Mohamed Larbi Ben M’hidi, while acknowledging his faith and steadfastness.
- The writer Henri Simon, in his book Contre la torture (Against Torture), observed:
“I saw officers inflicting torture with chilling indifference; they had become specialists through sheer repetition.”
- In the city of Skikda (formerly Philippeville), a training center named Jeanne d’Arc was established to teach techniques of torture and interrogation.
Conclusion
The examples presented above are but a glimpse of the atrocities committed under French colonial policy in Algeria.
History stands as irrefutable testimony to the barbarity and inhumanity of these acts.
The documented cases of torture and genocide prove that colonialism bore no relation to human values, and that the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen applied only within the confines of European societies—never carrying a truly universal meaning.
The Algerian War of Liberation unveiled the true face of French colonialism before international institutions and public opinion, affirming the justness of the Algerian cause. It inspired numerous other nations in their own struggles for independence.
As Alfred Aloysius “Trader” Horn wrote:
“If there exists a colonizer worse than the French one, I have yet to meet him.”
Therefore, instead of glorifying its colonial past and describing it as “positive,” France must openly acknowledge its historical responsibility and offer an official apology to the Algerian people.
