Changing Attitudes of Ferhat Abbas

Essay by Anonymous UserHigh School, 12th grade January 1997

download word file, 7 pages 4.9

Downloaded 64 times

It my history coursework very good, lot of information and historians viewpoints



Ferhat Abbas believed in the peaceful solution and that the French are willing to co-operate with the Algerians. With this co-operation, he thought, it was possible for all to live together. He was brought up and thought to believe in democracy and parliament, to look for these in a peaceful fashion and that the people have to be asked what to do with their country and not to be terrorised to be convinced differently. However in the 1950's we can see a clear change, a turn in his thoughts. He accepts more violent ways in order to gain what he believes in.

In order to explain the change in attitudes of Ferhat Abbas it is important that we first look at his background. In 1899 Ferhat Abbas was born. He had, like many others, received entirely French education at Constantine and at the University of Algiers.

After finishing his studies he had served the French Army for two year after which he founded a pharmacist shop in Setif. There he also founded a student union which was a start of his political career. Soon he was accepted into the city Council where he fought for the emancipation of Algerians from the French. In 1938 Abbas founded the Union Populaire AlgÃÂ©rienne which peacefully fought for the equal rights of Algerians and French. Believing in the possible co-operation of French and Algerians he had, fought alongside the French.

Political Career

During the war Abbas still continues his work towards the equality. In 1943 he wrote the 'Manifesto of the Algerian People' which was than proclaimed and several times sent to the French authorities.

'The French colony only admits equality with Muslim Algeria on one...