Algeria: Some problems of modern history

The study of modern Algerian history has encountered many difficulties, and a number of myths and misunderstandings have persisted. However, it is now possible to discuss certain problems with a reasonable chance of success. This article examines three such problems and tries to disengage some of the main themes of modern Algerian history. First, it examines the state of the country, both politically and economically, at the time of the French expedition of 1830. Secondly, it analyses the principal characteristics of European settlement and the ways in which it developed. Thirdly, it considers the nature of opposition to French rule and the reasons why the differences between the Muslim and non Muslim communities grew larger.