Title: A mission to civilize
First published: 1997
Description: This book addresses a central but often ignored question in the history of modern France and modern colonialism: How did the Third Republic, highly regarded for its professed democratic values, allow itself to be seduced by the insidious and persistent appeal of a "civilizing" ideology with distinct racist overtones?

By focusing on a particular group of colonial officials in a specific setting - the governors general of French West Africa from 1895 to 1930 - the author argues that the ideal of a special civilizing mission had a decisive impact on colonial policymaking and on the evolution of modern French republicanism generally.
Subjects: History, Politics and government, Governors general, Republicanism, Colonies, Administration, Racism, Africa, west, politics and government, France, colonies, africa, France, politics and government, 1870-1940, Republicanism, france, France, history, third republic, 1870-1940, Africa, west, history
Places: France, French-speaking West Africa
Time periods: 1884-1960, 1870-1940
LC classification: JQ3360 .C69 1997