[marcelpro]

France is unique in the West as one of the few countries that unapologetically holds on to its colonies which it still regards as French territory. It continues to actively permit white settlers to migrate to New Caledonia and French Guiana, subtly ensuring the autonomy referendums are defeated and indigenous populations continue to be suppressed. It will come as no surprise that the French military are also actively involved in these overseas 'training' bases. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseas_France , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseas_military_bases_of_Fra...

[etiennemarcel]

It's not true. Overseas parts of France are fully integrated in the republic, and citizens there have the same rights as in the mainland. There's no distinction between "settlers" and "natives" from a legal point of view (the economic picture is a bit different). There have been referendums in New Caledonia about independance and people there still want to be part of France.

To be faire, I don't even understand how New Caledonia or French Polynesia (where people have full representation in congress) can be on the non-self-governing list of the UN when Puerto Rico (where citizens don't have a seat in the house, senate or electoral college) isn't.

[marcelpro]

> Overseas parts of France are fully integrated in the republic, and citizens there have the same rights as in the mainland.

I'm sure you know that the exact same claim was made about French Algeria.

"the Mediterranean coastal region of Algeria, housing the vast majority of its population, was ruled as an integral part of France from 1848 until its independence. "

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Algeria

Such statements like yours were exactly what was repeatedly screamed out by perhaps what you would call your hero?, Jean-Marie Le Pen. His daughter also recently said all that torturing of some folks was good for Algeria. https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170420-le-pen-french-col...

Vous savez exactement ce que vous êtes.

> There have been referendums in New Caledonia about independance and people there still want to be part of France.

Again, such facts were also claimed about Algeria using the exact same tactics. It is not until 1961 where an actual fair referendum was held. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0035853590845221...

As one of France's longest-held overseas territories, Algeria became a destination for hundreds of thousands of European immigrants known as colons, and later as pieds-noirs. However, the indigenous Muslim population remained the majority of the territory's population throughout its history. In 1835, indigenous rebels organized the Algerian resistance movement against French settlement; the rebellion was suppressed in 1903 after the "pacification campaign" by the colonial forces, who used chemical weapons, mass executions of prisoners and civilians, concentration camps and other atrocities in order to put them down.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Algeria

[etiennemarcel]

I don't think I'll answer to a comment calling me a fascist. Comparing Algeria before independence and the current status of overseas France is dishonest.

[marcelpro]

No one called you a fascist. But you clearly hold views identical to Le Pen. Comparing how you justified continued sending settlers to "overseas" France and how the same steps were justified for pre-independence Algeria is perfectly valid and honest.

[omginternets]

You should at least make the effort of detailing the enormous educational, medical, infrastructural resources (not to mention subsidies) that mainland France directs to these places.

You’re not telling the whole truth, here.

[FuckButtons]

No one ever said that colonial empires didn’t invest in their colonies. But the real question is how do the people who live their feel about the way their country is governed.

[omginternets]

Agreed. The opinion among these populations tends to be quite split, believe it or not. It’s a complicated question, contrary to what the top-level comment would have us believe.

[ralusek]

Which is obviously pretty complicated. Take Hong Kong, for example. They much preferred the colony of the British to the Chinese.

[FooBarWidget]

It's more complicated than even that. People who were born after the 1997 handover, and thus have had no real experience with British times, tend to be more supportive of the British than older people who have seen both sides.

[laurent92]

This anti-colonialism needs to cease. As a French person, do i have to choice about how much taxes we pay or whether we belong to the E.U.? No, I need to compose with my neighbors, who have an entirely different idea of my freedom than I have. Democracy is an illusion, we don’t actually choose our leaders, we are told who to choose, that is point #1.

Point #2 is, would those places be more democratic and wealthy if they seceded? Algeria is still governed by military and sending its youths to France because it’s a better country.

I’m not for or against the size if the French territory, I’m tired of anti-whiteness being disguised under seemingly principled arguments. Although your principle is sincere, good-willed and aims at improving the world, its side-effects are horrible if you are not also able to defend white people for all the good things they also did.

Basically, generalized hate in mass media + inability to talk about upsides is generally a preparation for a genocide, and UN wouldn’t save us given they are not principled, are filled with anti-white feelings, and the western civilization is only 10% of humanity so we wouldn’t win in a vote long-term. Do you believe the Western civilization should disappear? Because sure it did bad things but it is also the only one who ended slavery.

[marcelpro]

> This anti-colonialism needs to cease.

So you would support Germany re-colonizing France like in 1938 to fix all the problems France has?

> also the only one who ended slavery

Incorrect. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_abolition_of_slave...

The abolition of slavery occurred at different times in different countries. It frequently occurred sequentially in more than one stage – for example, as abolition of the trade in slaves in a specific country, and then as abolition of slavery throughout empires. Each step was usually the result of a separate law or action. This timeline shows abolition laws or actions listed chronologically. It also covers the abolition of serfdom.

Although slavery is technically illegal in all countries today, the practice continues in many locations around the world, often with government support.

[rntksi]

Yes, but who are the people reaping the profits really?

I don't think this [1] for example would happen if the portions of the pie had been well distributed.

[1]: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_French_Caribbean_genera...

[Engineering-MD]

If citizens vote in elections as equals with all others in the country it is not comparable to a colony. Instead you have an area which may want to secede from the country, which is a common problem in many countries throughout the world.

[satori99]

France straight up committed acts of international terrorism and murder against a western ally in response to criticism of its nuclear testing program in 1985.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_the_Rainbow_Warrior

This was a fully sanctioned military operation against an allied nation that had willingly sent its own citizens to die defending France from its enemies -- Twice in the previous 70 years.

Unique indeed.

[tasogare]

Not it’s not. UK has a lot of small islands colonized here and there and the US is an aggregate of colonies itself with its original inhabitants still robbed of most of their land.

[mam2]

The autonomy referendum are lost because of the insane amount of subsidies the mainland sends there that would disappear in case of autonomy. They already have a huge administrative autonomy. If you ask me the 'mainland' is actually too nice.