Socialism, Liberalism and Inequality: The Colonial Economics of the Saint-Simonians in 19th-Century Algeria

摘要

This article examines the foundations of the colonial economics of the Saint-Simonians that were developed in Algeria after the French invasion in 1830. Saint-Simonian colonial economics may be seen as a leading contributor to the development of French orientalism. This article illustrates the ambiguous position of Saint-Simonian economics in the colonial project, especially in relation to the role of equality. According to the Saint-Simonians, collective socialism was the best economic system for Algeria. This article notes, however, the contradiction inherent in the Saint-Simonians' project with regard to the racial argument they used to justify their position.