Equality in inequality: social benefits for North African Muslim soldiers in the French Army during the Great War (1914–1918)

ABSTRACT

In 1914–1918, almost 300,000 indigenous people were mobilised in North Africa to fight in France. In November 1915, the Minister of War proposed granting them French citizenship. His initiative favoured an influx of soldiers into the army and sparked heated discussions about modifying the colonial policy, which was based on unequal access of French and the native population to political rights. The colonial party eventually blocked the proposal as going too far. Consequently, the policy to provide indigenous soldiers with social benefits on an equal footing with the French was adopted to ensure a steady flow of volunteers to the French Army. This article attempts to give a comprehensive presentation of the issue of social benefits as a policy aimed at increasing recruitment, reducing public discontent and preserving the colonial order. This policy proved effective but equalising daily pay, premiums, family allowances, indemnity and compensation for indigènes spurred on the emancipation of indigenous peoples and eroded the colonial policy.

KEYWORDS:

• World War I
• France
• North African Muslim soldiers
• social benefits

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Science Centre, Poland: [Grant Number project 2017/27/B/HS3/02645].