Could Algeria have been the North's equivalent to South Africa, in retaining a large white minority in an African nation, in an alternate timeline?
During the days of French Algeria, the nation had a sizable population of white people in it, some of whom were actually born and raised there during this time. They were known as Pieds-Noirs. They were actually the majority population of the city Oran. By the time it became independent in 1962, whites had made up 15% of the population: Majority of them French, but also including Italians, Spaniards, Maltese and others. However, soon after Algeria became independent following the Algerian War, they fled back home to Europe because of the hostile and violent conditions as well as discrimination they faced from the Muslim majority. For some, this was even harder because as said they were born and raised in Algeria so technically they were fleeing from their homes rather than going back.
I guess the easiest way for this to happen is for the Algerian independence to come without a violent war, ie peaceful decolonization. But at the time of the '50s/early '60s, when the European Powers still wanted to keep their holdings against the changing tide, that sounds easier said than done, so a change in timing might have to be the case to the later '60s/'70s.
As for the effects, I can imagine modern Algeria being quite unique in having major cultural and political ties to Europe, and the aforementioned Oran being the big hub for it. This could greatly change the culture of the area just by having that larger presence of Europeans. The Pied-Noirs would be a major subculture in their own right, and exist in an odd place in both North Africa and Europe, belonging to the former while ethnically and culturally derived from the latter. I do wonder what a modern Pieds-Noir culture might be like.
Could this have happened if things went differently?
During the days of French Algeria, the nation had a sizable population of white people in it, some of whom were actually born and raised there during this time. They were known as Pieds-Noirs. They were actually the majority population of the city Oran. By the time it became independent in 1962, whites had made up 15% of the population: Majority of them French, but also including Italians, Spaniards, Maltese and others. However, soon after Algeria became independent following the Algerian War, they fled back home to Europe because of the hostile and violent conditions as well as discrimination they faced from the Muslim majority. For some, this was even harder because as said they were born and raised in Algeria so technically they were fleeing from their homes rather than going back.
I guess the easiest way for this to happen is for the Algerian independence to come without a violent war, ie peaceful decolonization. But at the time of the '50s/early '60s, when the European Powers still wanted to keep their holdings against the changing tide, that sounds easier said than done, so a change in timing might have to be the case to the later '60s/'70s.
As for the effects, I can imagine modern Algeria being quite unique in having major cultural and political ties to Europe, and the aforementioned Oran being the big hub for it. This could greatly change the culture of the area just by having that larger presence of Europeans. The Pied-Noirs would be a major subculture in their own right, and exist in an odd place in both North Africa and Europe, belonging to the former while ethnically and culturally derived from the latter. I do wonder what a modern Pieds-Noir culture might be like.
Could this have happened if things went differently?
