POLI 340 Chapter 9: Ellen Lust - The Middle East: Algeria
4 Oct 2017
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French colony 1830-1962, 35,000,000 inhabitants who speak arabic (75%) and berber (25%); upper and middle classes also speak french. Under colonization, natives suffered discrimination and were awarded full french citizenship only in the 1950s. After independence from france, with a war that lasted seven years, algeria went on a socialist path with one-party rule and state-controlled economy. Algerian regime rooted in populist ideology forged by the nationalist movement (radicalized after world war ii, using violence to gain independence against france) Liberation national army was supported by peasants and poor classes; ultimate goal was claimed to be independence and equality and fair distribution of wealth, prioritizing interests of the poor. Colonel houari boum di ne, chief of staff and president of army, was the leader who most embodied populist ideology. Made alliance in 1962 with ahmed ben bella, a popular leader arrested by. Ben bella eventually formed government affirming single-party system and state-controlled economy.
