Le rôle de la colonie française dans l'évolution politique de la question tunisienne 1936-1954
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Université Pierre Mendès France (Grenoble)Disciplines:
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Abstract EN:
Starting from an analysis of the demographic evolution of the french colony between 1881 and 1956 and the weight it exer ted at the economic, social and political levels until the early thirties, the paper aims at showing the role played by the french colony in tunisia as a decision-blocking minority force crippling the conflictual partnership repeatedly attempted between the decision-making mechanism in paris and the tunisian national movement in the political evolution of the tunisian question between 1936 and 1954. The reform policy regarding tunisia attempted by the blum government starting from 1936 generated hostility among the ma jority of the french colony, which forced its successor, the chautemps government, to renounce the implementation of the pierre vienot programme of march 1937. During world war ii, the tunisian question was relegated to a secondary position among the concerns of the french colony. Dismayed at the defeat of the french forces, the french colony waited for the end of the war to react. However, the war changed the situation radically. The tunisians began to assert claims to total independence and planned to internationalize the problem. The french colony in tunisia hardened its position and reverted to its pre-war "domineering" rhetoric. A right-wing "bloc" emerged around the french rassemblement of antoine colonna, obstructing any negotiation between france and the neo-destour. The french government retreated into a state of politicla torpor until the late forties and in 1950, france opted for a peaceful settlement of the tunision question. However the french colony attempted to block such action both in paris and tunis and declared, though its representativ es, its readiness to adopt the idea of a franco-tunisian co-soverignty. From then on, the action of the french colony would constitute the main stumbling block in the relations between france and tunisia during the fifties. With support for the french colony in tunisia, the maghreb and especially in france, in addition to the inability of the governments of the fourth republic to pursue a liberal policy, the relations between france and tunisia reached a deadlock. Not unti l the accession fo pierre mendes france to government would france decide to surmount the obstacle till then constituted by the french colony.
Abstract FR:
Apres une analyse de l'evolution demographique de la colonie francaise entre 1881 et 1956 et du poids qu'elle a exerce sur le plan economique, social et politique jusqu'au debut des annees trente, le sujet vise a demontrer le role de minorite de blocage que la colonie francaise de tunisie a joue, paralysant ainsi le partenariat conflictuel qui s'esquis se a plusieurs reprises entre la machine decisionnelle parisienne et le mouvement national tunisien dans l'evolution politique de la question tunisienne entre 1936 et 1954. A partir de 1936, les reformes que le gouvernement blum tente d'appliquer a la tunisie et l'hostilite que cette politiqu e a declenche parmi la fraction majoritaire de la colonie francaise, amenent le gouvernement chautemps a renoncer au programme de pierre vienot de mars 1937. Pendant la seconde guerre mondiale, la question tunisienne passe au second plan des preoccupations de la colonie francaise. Atterree par la defaite francaise, elle attend la fin de la guerre pour reagir. Mais la guerre a profondement transforme la situation. Les tunisiens revendiquent desormais l'independance totale et envisagent d'internationaliser le probleme tunisien. Les francais de tunisie radicalisent alors leur position et reprennent le discours des "preponderants" d'avant -guerre. Un "bloc" de droite se forme autour du rassemblement francais d'antoine colonna, refusant a la france toute negociation avec le neo-destour. Le gouvernement francais s'enfonce des lors dans l'immobilisme politique jusqu'a la fin des annees quarante. En 1950, la france opte pour un reglement pacifique de la question tunisienne. La colonie francaise s'emploie alors a paralyser son action a tunis et a paris. Ses representants se declarent prets a adopter la these d'une co-souverainete franco-tunisienne. L'action de la colonie francaise constituera la principale pierre d'achoppement dans les relations franco-tunisiennes durant les annees cinquante. Les soutiens dont elle dispose en tunisie, au maghreb et surtout en france, ajoutes a l'impuissance des gouvernements de la quatrieme republique a s'engager dans une politique liberale, plongent les rapports franco-tunisiens dans l'impasse. Il faudra attendre l'avenement de pierre mendes france pour que la france se decide a franchir l'obstacle que constituai t jusqu'alors la colonie francaise.