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

Frances revolution of 1789-1799 destroyed the age-old monarchy, eliminated downhearted privilege, and established the inalienable rights of every(prenominal) citizens. Dedication to the archetypes of equality and freedom for all men is enshrined in the national motto, libert, galite, fraternit. Regardless of Frances longstanding inscription to the principles of liberty, contemporary social attitudes and policies have fallen far from the revolutionary ideal, especially 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 antiquated notions of citizenship and national belonging. Frances persistent refusal to acknowledge its de-facto multiculturalism has created a brutal cycle of marginalization, in which cultural minorities are prevented from expressing their cultural identities and successfully integrating into mainstream French socie ty.Immigrants from the Maghreb a hilly, dried region in North Africa situated between the Atlas Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea represent the largest segment of Frances considerable ethnic population. France is before long 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 years following World War II. After defeating Germany, the United States launched an pushful program to revitalize the devastated economies of Western Europe and create dynamic markets for construct 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 special benefits to minorits visib les would undermine the egalitarian ideal of re habitualan assimilation by treating them as more than equals. Such black eye discrimination would represent an unacceptable breach 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 currently providing benefits (Smith 176). Continued affection to outdated concepts of citizenship therefore facilitates the separate and unequal treatment of minorits visibles by concealing persecution under the guise of official equality.