ABSTRACT
TheFrenchweremoreinclinedthantheBritishtofighttoretaintheir empireandtheeffectofitslossonthepoliticsofmetropolitanFrance wasproportionatelygreater.Thedifferencehaditsoriginsintheirdifferentphilosophiesofempire.TheBritishempirehadalwaysinclined towardsdevolutionandLondonwasreluctanttointerfereinlocalaffairs. TheFrenchidealwasassimilation.TheprinciplesoftheRevolutionof1789 wereheldtobeofuniversalapplication.Eventually,theinhabitantsof theircolonieswouldbecomeeducatedFrenchmenandwomen,enjoyingalltherightsofFrenchcitizenshipandelectingDeputiestositinthe NationalAssemblyinParis.InaburstofenthusiasmduringtheSecond Republicin1848,fullcitizenshipwasofferedtotheinhabitantsofthe colonies,Senegal(theoriginalcolonyonly),Guadeloupe,Martiniqueand Reunion(sometimeslaterreferredtoasthe'oldcolonies').RepresentativesofthesecoloniesdidsitintheChamberofDeputiesoftheThird RepublicbutthesetendedtobeexpatriateFrenchmen.Thefirstblack MricantosittherewasBlaiseDiagne,whowaselectedtorepresent Senegalin1914.
