Colonial Policies of a Fascist France

Is it implausible for something resembling German national socialism to arise in France? The whole "civic not ethnic" nationalism quickly falls apart in places like Algeria
 
I remember reading about how Vichy France did this thing where they tried to tell the colonized population that fascism is actually the French rediscovering the traditional values of the colonized to try and get them to accept French rule.
 
I would suggest that Vichy is both a good and a bad example of looking at how the French would govern their empire, in terms of predicting it (and not good in actually being good things, or bad in bad things, just to adumbrate how they would go about it).

Good:
I doubt that the ideas of the French encouraging assimilation is going to be the case. There were exceptions, but broadly speaking the French left was the main advocate of assimilation and the French right of association. Vichy was heavily anti-assimilation and went so far as to strip French citizenship from individuals in the colonies (there were not many of them in any case), and while a homegrown fascist regime might be less rigid on such lines, I don't think they would pursue an assimilationist politic.
Vichy was interested in glorification of colonized people tradition, and did so in Madagascar and Indochina I certainly know. This is likely to continue. The various peoples will be taught that France is here to rejuvenate and restore their ancient glories, but that they need to evolve in their own milieu rather than becoming half-French, half-Native métis. Peasants and traditional values will be trumpeted to the heavens.
Vichy was intensely procolonial. I think it likely that any French Fascist government would be so too, as opposed to the more traditional French conservative right. A focus on national grandeur, national regeneration, decisive leaders, and strength would imply the need to pursue a more vigorous colonial policy. What this would reflect - more big colonial projects (bigger Projet du Niger, Trans-Saharan railroad, the big proposed Indochinese land resettlement ideas, defense projects throughout the empire like the naval base ideas), bigger Metropolitan education and focus on the colonies, or just harping on about it more, is up for debate, but the colonies would loom larger in the French government's policy making.
You are still likely to see a purge of liberal and socialist governors throughout the colonies.
The Caribbean colonies will not be granted full departmental status, unlike how they were in the early IVth Republic.
Almost any French fascist government will pursue a less liberal, more corporatist, and more state-focused development policy.
The obsession with the colonies will make them loath to give up any part of it, so probably nothing like the concessions to say, Turkey which occurred under the late IIIrd Republic.

Bad:
Vichy was under serious stress to try to wring blood from stone to try to get something out of their colonies to restore France with the motherland being under occupation. This led to things such as the re-introduction of de-facto slave labor, with corvée in Madagascar at the least and doubtless other colonies. Without this same situation, the French have no real need to be as heavy handed: they might be more heavy handed than the IIIrd Republic (Which could be, like any colonial power, very morally questionable itself at times), but they won't be as desperate. They will have more resources which will enable them to do more damage with their projects though, like they could actually seriously go ahead with the Trans-Saharan Railroad which Vichy had started on, and doubtless slaughter thousands or even tens of thousands of people building an economically (if not strategically) useless railroad across the Sahara. It'll look really cool though, gotta admit that.
The Germans have not been legitimized, and I would say that the likely French fascist parties to gain power would either not be advocates of state-practiced Antisemitism against French Jews (foreign Jews is an entirely different story, as Colonel de la Roque - debatable whether he is a fascist but I think him or his ilk are the likeliest to seize power - himself had made clear, viewing French Jews as part of France but foreign Jews coming in in vast numbers as refugees in the 1930s as dangerous, unwashed, uncivilized, strangers), so one is unlikely to see the obsession with finding them and discriminating against them in the colonies. You might see personal action undertaken, since the fascist masses were not always as principled, but not the state directed discrimination.
Vichy continually stressed the weak and decadent Republic which had collapsed in 1940 and that it was being restored in the colonies by Vichy. A French fascist government will stress the Republic as decadent to some extent, but will do so less, since it will A) Not be as easy to say that, and B)No need to shout at colonized people how weak you are without a good reason.
Vichy emphasized its role as a peace maker and arbitrer in Indochina, since it no longer had the military force to actually act to defend it. France will take a much harder and more "conservative" line there, and its policy will be less radical in regards to dramatic changes in education of elites and instilling local nationalism there, since its hand won't be forced.
 
I remember reading about how Vichy France did this thing where they tried to tell the colonized population that fascism is actually the French rediscovering the traditional values of the colonized to try and get them to accept French rule.

Umm, what? What the hell did fascism have to do with the traditional values of native Africans?
 
But as you point out, how much of it was because of economic needs and the need to combat the Free French?
Moins que de se battre contre les Français libres et plus que Vichy n'avait rien sauf sa flotte (qui deviendrait de moins en moins utile au fil du temps, en raison de l'évolution de la technologie, des pertes de guerre contre les Anglais, les pénuries de pétrol, et d'autres faiblesses), et... l'empire. Alors forcément Vichy s'est penché sur l'empire pour la renaissance de la France, bien comme la troisième République a repris son essor avec la conquête de l'Afrique, selon les élites pro-coloniales. Les Français libres étaient bien sûr un danger, mais jusqu'en 1942 ils ne sauraient que picorer aux franges de l'empire : Vichy a tenu une cérémonie lors 1942, si je me rappelle bien, qui a fêté le fait que la plupart écrasante de l'empire a resté fidèle à son autorité.
C'était parce que l'empire était précieux à Vichy que Vichy était aux aguets contre les Français libres, et pas parce que les Français libres existaient et alors l'empire était précieux pour leur combattre.

Umm, what? What the hell did fascism have to do with the traditional values of native Africans?
Plentifully from a public relations aspect and a colonialist perspective. It was common colonial parlance to speak of ancient societies that used to be great empires or valiant upright societies, that had fallen to decadence and ruin. An excellent example is Cambodia, where the French loved comparing the greatness of Ankor Wat with the supposedly degenerated inheritors of it... Its easy to extend this with the fascists that just like in France, they are also rejuvenating the colonies, by uplifting the people there and making them aware of their once glorious past, which, thanks to the helpful hand of the European colonists, they can begin to attempt to rediscover, and perhaps in several centuries will be able to be civilized through it. It would offer an opportunity to buffer traditional authority, chiefs, and hierarchies, in the name of tradition - something which could be quite useful indeed for maintaining order, since generally the chiefs were loyal.
Make Africa Great Again à la française....
 
Umm, what? What the hell did fascism have to do with the traditional values of native Africans?
In Indochina Vichy France did try to draw a comparison between traditional values of the natives and the values espoused by fascism. Their success was debatable, but they did try.
 
Wouldn’t Vichy France be clerical fascist? The Catholic Church in this pod is probably much more reactionary and fascist in mindset then otl due to them working with fascist regimes and being able to get away with it more then otl. They are probably influenced heavily by Italy, France, Spain, Catholic Germans, and maybe Latin America too who are all fascist or fascist leaning more then otl(fascism probably spreads to Latin America through the church and Spanish/Europe influence since many are already authoritative regimes). Most Catholics outside of the US are either living in fascist or reactionary regimes in this pod correct? That is likely lead to the church being more fascist and reactionary too.

Now that could lead to some interesting stuff in Africa. Vichy France with the support and help of the church might try to use Catholic religion to help assimilate Africans in the colonies. The Catholic Church with the support and funding of the government start these massive public programs that provide people with education, water, food, infrastructure, and other basic needs(give people food and nicer stuff they are usually more willing to buy into what you are telling them). The church is more interested in just converting people(the church does want more Catholics). But since they work with the Vichy government they are also teaching Africans French language, customs, and about working with your fellow Catholics(don’t oppose the French). The Catholic Church out of all the fascist and reactionary groups of the time are actually the least racist at least in principal(a Catholic a Catholic to some in the church).

They might use some of their old school tactics at converting people like converting local elites, relating to local customs(conservative values shared by both groups or comparing local beliefs to the Bible or Catholic history), controlling education, and charity(conversion through basically bribery of the needy). Remember if the father or leaders converts even if they don’t truly believe their kids who are raised Catholic will likely buy it more. That only increases with each pasting generation. The first converts might do it for self interest reasons but if they are sending their kids and youth to Catholic school they are basically indoctrinating their kids without them even noticing at times. The Church will often target the outclass of society for conversion too(“Jesus loves all his children” line. In reality if you been treated like shit by your own people or locals and someone comes in and treats you better even if it still isn’t great your much more likely to side with a more accepting foreign element then a local one that treated like garbage. When those elements oppose the church or French those former outclass are going to be very willing to kill old elite especially if they take their place afterwards. Think of the converts in Things Fall Part). The church in French Africa might be lead by local African converts. Think of the image that gives off to other Africans about the church. The church could very well present its as a friend of the Africans and not a tool of the French(a half truth. They work with them a lot but the church pushes back when they can get away from it. Catholic Church can politic well and is able to push back against government somewhat). The church would likely bring up how they “ban slavery first” and hype up African saints like Augustine(“Africans have always been a major part of the church and welcome in it” type of speeches. The church bringing up how they were here in Africa long before Islam and how “Europeans were behind and like Africans before Christianity” is something I could see them using as a propaganda point too. They probably mention stories about Queen Sheba being African too while trying to bury stuff like the “curse of Cain”). The church will likely play on Africans conflicts with Islam for its own gains too especially if conflict in Algeria gets bad(“the church has never supported slavery or the oppression of Africans. The Muslims are the ones who enslaved and sold your people first. They seek to enslave you while we are brothers and sisters under Christ”. This is the type of speech and propaganda they might use). Remember the Catholic fascist nations are likely to come into serious conflict with Islam over colonialism in North Africa and if Africans are becoming more and more friendly with the church those groups might start attacking them too because they see them as supporting colonialism. Also the church is probably more hostile towards Islam then the Vichy government is. The government might actually be the ones telling the church to calm down on this stuff.

Muslims in Africa are not likely to convert as much as non-Muslims especially the ones in Algeria and North Africa(I would argue they could convert a decent bit of Muslims south of Algeria since the religion is less rooted there). The culture and religion in North Africa is well rooted so they have to depend more on more French coming in to change demographics or possible Catholic Francophone Africans later on. The advantage the church has in the rest of Africa is the same they had in Europe during the early years of the church. You have various ethnic groups that lack a organized religion or cultural force that unites them(easier to assimilate many divided people over one big ethnic group or organized religion). The church will do what it did in Europe after the fall of Rome. Non-Islamic areas of French Africa might not fully assimilate to French culture but it does greatly Latinized the culture or create a creole type culture in the region. The church and government would try to wipe tribal and many traditionalist elements. A lot of the native languages will likely go extinct and be replaced by regional dialects of French that borrows some from the now extinct languages(Catholic education would be taught in French or Latin only. Businesses will be done in French too). The ironic nature this might undermine the Vichy government in the long run. The Africans might be more loyal to the church then France itself which means if the more secular French population at home opposes the church too much the church might have complete support of the African population which could lead to a conflict.
 
What would it take for something resembling German fascism as opposed to clerical fascism to arise in France? Their assimilationist, civic nationalist motif does not always hold up, and they certainly aren't above racism and possibly genocide (like in Algeria).
 
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