ABSTRACT
Victor Hugo took as an example French colonisation in Africa, but he might better have used the example of New Caledonia, for more than any other French colony, even Algeria, New Caledonia became a model or experiment for this idea of social colonisation. The great majority of its population came to New Caledonia through what could be called 'planned free colonisation', which initiated the process of transformation of French migrants into New Caledonian settlers. New Caledonia was not necessarily their chosen destination but it was an opportunity seized because of the conditions of departure and the support offered to migrants. Among the other whites, convicts, released convicts, fallen men without civil rights, the settlers were free men and citizens. The free settlers were the only ones to benefit from political representation and be in a position to fignt for their rights.
