The Wretched of the Earth

A series of armed conflicts aimed at gaining Algeria’s independence from France. The war was the culmination of a long-drawn movement, which intensified after World War II due to France’s failed promises for reform. The FLN (National Liberation Front) began actively fighting the French presence in Algeria in 1954. The guerilla attacks escalated in the capital of Algiers between 1956 and 1957, and became known as the Battle of Algiers. The settlers regained control of the city through brutal measures, which undermined support for the French government’s continued presence in Algeria both domestically and internationally. In 1962 Algeria and France signed an agreement granting Algeria its independence.

After Algeria gained independence, many European Algerians, also known as Pieds-Noirs, and Algerians employed by the French army fled to France.

In Marxist thought the social human experience is divided into two aspects: base (structure or infrastructure) and superstructure. The base comprises everything to do with the production process: labor relations, production processes, raw materials, technology, etc. The superstructure includes the more abstract forces shaping society: political system, ideology, culture, education, institutions, etc. Both these aspects are in constant flux. According to Marx, the superstructure grows out of the base, but in turn, it also impacts the structure.