Impact of French Colonization on the Modern Entrepreneurial Landscape in Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco

This paper examines the impact of French colonialism on the modern-day entrepreneurial landscape in Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. While abundant research exists on the impacts of French colonization in North Africa, none examines its social, cultural, and economic ties to the current entrepreneurial environment. This paper shall fill the gap in current research by making novel hypotheses after close examination and analysis of colonial-era infrastructure, industries, and government systems, as well as the post-independence policies and the current entrepreneurial landscapes. Lastly, this paper aims to gain insight into ways North Africa can build a robust private sector, increase Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), and reduce first and third world economic inequalities in the future. Recommendations to foster entrepreneurship shall be given at the end. The finding is that French colonial legacies negatively shaped current entrepreneurial landscapes in North Africa.