FRENCH ASSOCIATION SYSTEM
It was a system in which the native authorities were associated in administering the French colonies without forcing them to be assimilated into French citizenship. This system was very similar to British rule system.
FEATURES OF THE ASSOCIATION SYSTEM
Existence of the native puppet leaders. The native leaders governed their fellow natives in favor of the white French.
Few African resistances: This was due to the fact that the immediate leaders of the Africans were their fellow natives who used to government them before colonial time.
Easy mobilization of African labor; This was because the ruled class was loyal to their native rulers who were in turn used to convey interests of the French to the ruled native people.
Flexibility: In this system, the French didn’t greatly interfere the Africans in their culture.
Maximum collaboration from natives. The natives were willing to work with the French.
Note: Other features of this system were similar to those of the British indirect rule.
ASSIMILATION SYSTEM IN PORTUGUESE COLONIES
The Portuguese imposed this system in the African colonial of Sao Tome and Principe, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Angola and Mozambique. In these colonies, the Portuguese favored the ASSIMILADORS than other natives.
THE IMPACTS OF THE PORTUGUESE POLICY OF ASSIMILATION
Creation of social classes of the Assimilados, the Mesticos (halfcast (cross” of the Blacks and whites) and the Indegenas (non-assimilated natives).
Deny of the indigenous rights such as basic formal education.
The indigenous were also forbidden (prohibited) to participate in politics.
The indegenas were not allowed to move from one territory to (district) to another freely.
Generally speaking, the Portuguese assimilation stood as a factor which delayed the independence of the former Portuguese colonies.
