France’s soft monetary power over the CFA system depends on hard military power.

Evidence

France has been careful not to give up this other element of the ‘colonial pact’. Between 1960 and 1991, it was, after Cuba, the country that deployed the largest number of soldiers in Africa. During this period, while Havana supported African national liberation movements, Paris carried out nearly 40 military interventions in 16 countries to defend its interests. France still has permanent military bases or ‘support points’ in Senegal, the Ivory Coast, Chad, Gabon, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Moreover, it trains and advises a portion of the military cadres of the armies of the countries of the franc zone. This offers France the latitude to use force against any recalcitrant ‘partner’ or in defence of its allies. — Fanny Pigeaud_ Ndongo Samba Sylla, Africa’s Last Colonial Currency, 273

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the book’s earlier chapters tracing the military origins of the CFA system and French interventions. — connects to: French-aligned technocrats set monetary policy for CFA franc states.; The CFA franc functions as a political instrument of pressure over 15 African states.; The CFA system functions as hard coercion, not soft power — Fanny Pigeaud_ Ndongo Samba Sylla, Africa’s Last Colonial Currency, 271 (+4 more)

Related

• The CFA system functions as hard coercion, not soft power (similarity 0.90)
• The CFA franc functions as a political instrument of pressure over 15 African states. (similarity 0.86)
• France treated monetary and military pressure as interchangeable weapons. (similarity 0.86)
• France used military force to prevent the Ivory Coast from leaving the franc zone. (similarity 0.86)
• The CFA system gives France instruments to steer franc-zone politics (similarity 0.84)
• The CFA franc is a tool to preserve French dominance post-independence. (similarity 0.84)
• The CFA franc gives France instruments to control the politics of 15 African states. (similarity 0.84)
• The CFA franc is the central weapon of Françafrique’s neocolonial domination (similarity 0.84)
• France ran nearly 40 military interventions across Africa between 1960 and 1991 (similarity 0.83)
• Even French official bodies openly acknowledge the franc zone serves French influence. (similarity 0.83)
• The euro’s uncertain fate makes French monetary tutelage an added risk. (similarity 0.82)
• France gained bases, markets, and franc-payment privileges from the agreements. (similarity 0.82)
• French Treasury supervision is the backbone of the CFA system’s operations (similarity 0.81)
• France alone preserved its monetary empire after its African colonies gained independence (similarity 0.81)
• France has maintained and reinforced its Abidjan military base since colonial times (similarity 0.80)

Broader Connections

• France treated monetary and military pressure as interchangeable weapons. #expands (0.80) — Fanny Pigeaud_ Ndongo Samba Sylla, Africa’s Last Colonial Currency, 273
• Foreign-backed monetary systems subordinate a state to that foreign country. #expands (0.55) — Fanny Pigeaud_ Ndongo Samba Sylla, Africa’s Last Colonial Currency, 369
• CFA franc value is set politically, insulated from market economic conditions #complicates (0.50) — Fanny Pigeaud_ Ndongo Samba Sylla, Africa’s Last Colonial Currency, 97