Rethinking Abolition in Algeria. Slavery and the "Indigenous Question"

Like in sub-saharan Africa, Algerian slavery died a "slow death". It did not end with French abolition in 1848 but maintained its importance in some regions through the nineteenth century. Partially shaped by the colonial administration’s pragmatism, the history of abolition in Algeria is similar to other parts of colonial Africa. At the same time, there are differences stemming from the special case of Algerian colonization. In particular, colonial planners faced the indigenous question, or how to create a settler colony in a country that was already settled. This essay examines how slavery, abolition, and the "indigenous question" came together in French plans of the 1840s to import slaves to Algeria. These plans helped colonial authorities envision a final solution to the indigenous question, whereby sub-Saharan Africans purchased as slaves would replace Algerian populations.