Mission to Civilize: The French Way

Characterizes the French way of seeing the world and probes the effects of France's age-old ability to fashion itself as a civilizing force

This book provides a well-informed and highly readable account of the French empire over the centuries. In an era when most other empires have collapsed, the French have succeeded in maintaining much of the reality of their empire even though formal sovereignty has passed to the hands of local governments. Privileged economic, political, and military ties with former colonies are reinforced by lingering cultural ties in former French possessions that received independence decades or even centuries ago. Rosenblum, an American journalist in Paris, shows how the French emphasis on civilizing rather than colonizing has made France a cultural superpower. There is pretense and hypocrisy in this continuing empire, but also desirable self-esteem and pride in France's mission civilisatrice . Frank L. Wilson, Political Science Dept., Purdue Univ., W. Lafayette, Ind.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.