Gabriel Hanotaux. Le personnage et ses idées sur l'expansion coloniale

摘要

At the outset of Gabriel Hanotaux's colonial pursuits, we notice an irrational element. As a reaction to the defeat of 1870, he hoped that France would raise herself up again. Through his contacts with Ferry and Brazza, he became interested in colonial questions, rich with possibilities for French vitality to come to the forefront. His expérience at the Quai d'Orsay, together with his studies on Richelieu led him to the idea of political equilibrium, which strengthened his opinion as to the necessity for a policy of expansion. To these three arguments, the idea of humanitarian nationalism is added. Being more developed than the other countries, France's mission and duty is to bring them her civilization. Seen from this angle, the colonies are no longer a means, as in the beginning, but an aim in themselves. France works out her colonies' salvation. Out of this idea, as unreasonable as the others to start with, Hanotaux, throughout the years, will try to evolve a cohérent and rational theory based on historical His main objective will always be the complète assimilation of the colonies ; as a way of reaching it, he preconizes the protectorate régime. His gênerai attitude may be described as patriarchal, and his originality lies in the fact that, unlike the great majority of his contemporaries, he rejected any economic argument that could justify colonial expansion.