The Empire Strikes Back Essay -- French Revolution, French Society

Frances revolution of 1789-1799 destroyed the age-old monarchy, eliminated aristocratic privilege, and established the inalienable rights of each citizens. Dedication to the ideals of equality and freedom for all men is enshrined in the national motto, libert, galite, fraternit. Regardless of Frances longstanding commitment to the principles of liberty, contemporary social attitudes and policies have locomote far from the revolutionary ideal, particularly vis--vis Frances burgeoning population of immigrants and their descendants. Despite its extensive and tortuous history of immigration, twenty-first century France remains vehemently committed to modify notions of citizenship and national belonging. Frances persistent refusal to acknowledge its de-facto multiculturalism has created a brutal cycle of marginalization, in which ethnic minorities are prevented from expressing their cultural identities and successfully integrating into mainstream French society.Immigrants from the Maghreb a hilly, arid region in North Africa situated between the Atlas Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea represent the largest segment of Frances considerable ethnic population. France is shortly home to over 3.5 million foreigners, more than a million of whom are Magrbins, primarily from Algeria and Morocco (Sekher 25). Contemporary Magrbin immigration began in earnest in the geezerhood following World War II. After defeating Germany, the United States launched an ambitious program to revitalize the devastated economies of Western Europe and create dynamic markets for mass-produced American consumer goods. From 1948-1951, The European Recovery Program, commonly known as the Marshall Plan, provided unprecedented levels of developm... ...ologist Franois Dubet notes, Une socit construite sur une galit des chances parfaitement juste pourrait, en mme temps, tre parfaitement ingalitaire (qtd. in Rosello 237). To provide picky benefits to minorits visibles would undermine t he egalitarian ideal of republican assimilation by treating them as more than equals. Such reverse discrimination would represent an unacceptable violate of the sacred credo of libert, galite, fraternit. Hence, minorits visibles generally receive an insufficient level of social spending, with derelict public housing projects and minimal welfare payments the only programs soon providing benefits (Smith 176). Continued adherence to outdated concepts of citizenship therefore facilitates the separate and unequal treatment of minorits visibles by concealing persecution under the guise of official equality.