ABSTRACT
In French Equatorial Africa. the poor relation of the French colonies. the system of concessions was soon found to be a failure. Hence efforts were made from 1910 onwards to formulate a new economic policy. In 1898 the state had in effect abandoned the greater part of the territory to businessmen, in the mistaken belief that they would by themselves undertake the necessary investment. However. the businessmen contented themselves with extracting from the jungle the maximum of advantage in the minimum of time, when they did not confine themselves merely to speculating on the stock exchange.
