The French Empire was one of the most powerful in human history. At its height, it controlled almost ten per cent of the world's land area. The country was a dominant global power from Southeast Asia to West Africa. And that was particularly true in Africa. France oversaw territory spanning 17 modern-day nations, from Morocco to the Congo. Under the banner of a "civilising mission," France managed brutal occupations that engorged the empire's wealth. It left a terrible legacy for ordinary Africans – marked by slavery, extraction, and murder. And today, France's empire in Africa is STILL around – in a streamlined, more profitable, and even more exploitative form. In the aftermath of the Second World War, a wave of decolonial movements swept across Africa and Asia. And the French –...
Read More