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France and the Union Française

Started by <k>, January 22, 2024, 11:26:39 PM

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<k>



Cameroon, 1948.





French Equatorial Africa, 1948.





French Somaliland, 1948.





French Somaliland, 1959.





French West Africa, 1948.



French West Africa 5 francs 1956.jpg

French West Africa, 1956.





Madagascar, 1948.





Madagascar, 1953.





Reunion, 1948.





Reunion, 1955.





Saint Pierre et Miquelon, 1948.





French Settlements of Oceania, 1949.

The same obverse appears on the coins of 1952.





French Polynesia, 1977.





Togo, 1948.



Togo 25 francs 1956.jpg

Togo, 1956.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

From Wikipedia:

The French Union (French: Union française) was a political entity created by the French Fourth Republic to replace the old French colonial empire system, colloquially known as the "French Empire" (Empire français).

The French Union was established by the French constitution of 27 October 1946 (Fourth Republic). Under it, it was said that there were no French colonies, but that metropolitan France, the overseas departments, and the overseas territories combined to create a single French Union, or just one France.

The goal of this union was "assimilation of the overseas territories into a greater France, inhabited by French citizens, and blessed by French culture". Whereas the British colonial system had local colonial governments which would eventually evolve into separate national governments, France wanted to create a single government under a single French state.

This French Union had a President, a High Council, and an Assembly. The President was the President of the Republic. The Assembly of the Union had membership from the Council of the Republic, from the National Assembly and from regional assemblies of the overseas territories and departments but ultimately had no power. The High Council ultimately met only three times, first in 1951. The Assembly was the only actually functioning institution that could manage legislation within the overseas territories.

In reality, the colonial areas had representation but all power remained in the French Parliament and thus was centralized. The colonies had local assemblies but these had only limited local power. Instead, various natives of the overseas territories in metropolitan France grew into a group of elites, known as evolués.

On 31 January 1956, in response to the Algerian War, the system changed, abandoning assimilation in favour of autonomy, allowing territories to develop their own local government and eventually gain their independence. This adjustment would not succeed, however, and in 1958 the French Union was replaced by the French Community by Charles de Gaulle's Fifth Republic wherein France was now a federation of states with their own self-government.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

The legend Republique française - Union française should have appeared on the obverse of all these coins, from 1948 to 1957 / 1958. However, one sees some discrepancies, notably on the coins of French West Africa and Madagascar. Can anybody explain these discrepancies?

I hope that I have shown all the relevant examples here. Let me know if I have omitted any.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.