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Martial Merlin a été Gouverneur général de l'Afrique équatoriale française (de 1909 à 1917), de l'Afrique occidentale française (de 1919 à 1923) et de l'Indochine (de 1923 à 1925). Il est le seul Administrateur colonial à avoir occupé les trois grands Gouvernements généraux de la France d'Outre-mer. L'AEF, l'AOF et l'Indochine étaient des Groupes de colonies : ils furent créés à la fin du XIXe siècle, afin de donner une unité de direction à des colonies jusque là dispersées. L'étude de l'œuvre et de la doctrine coloniales de Merlin nous permet de mieux connaître l'institution du Gouvernement général. Merlin souhaitait que l'Administration fût organisée sur des bases claires. Il a défini les attributions de chaque organe du Gouvernement général et il a souligné le rôle essentiel du Gouverneur général, chargé de donner une unité de direction politique et économique aux territoires regroupés. Merlin souhaitait également que l'Administration s'appuyât sur des bases solides. Il a mis en œuvre une politique de Gouvernement indirect, afin de diriger les populations indigènes par l'intermédiaire de leurs chefs coutumiers. Organe de coordination économique, le Gouverneur général devait assurer la mise en valeur de son Groupe de colonies : Merlin a défini une politique de développement précise, tout en se souciant des moyens de sa politique de développement (il a notamment réglementé le régime de la main d'oeuvre). Organe de direction politique, le Gouverneur général devait convaincre les indigènes des bienfaits de la "Paix française" : Merlin a défini (et mis en oeuvre) une politique de "contact", afin d'entraîner l'adhésion des indigènes à la cause française, tout en menant une politique "défensive", face à l'irruption de mouvements étrangers hostiles à la présence française. / Martial Merlin was the Governor General of the AEF (French equatorial Africa) from 1909 to 1917, of the AOF (French western Africa) from 1919 to 1923 and of Indochina from 1923 to 1925. He is the only colonial administrator to have served as Governor General of all three organizations of the French colonies. The AEF, AOF and Indochina, each grouping together many colonies, were created at the end of the nineteenth century, in order to impose a coherence to the direction of the colonies, which up until then had been administered separately. A study of the colonial theory expressed in the works of Merlin provides an insight into the institution of the Government General. Merlin affirmed that the administration of the colonies should be organized on a clear basis. He assigned specific attributes to each organ of the Government General, and emphasized that the essential role was to be played by the Governor General, whose duty it was to define a unified policy for the political and economic direction of the various territories. Seeking a firm basis for this administration, Merlin implemented a policy of indirect government, controlling the native population by using their customary chiefs as intermediaries. As an agent of economic coordination, the Governor General was to turn to good account his group of colonies ; Merlin defined a policy of development which included initiatives to insure the means by which to implement that policy (he introduced, for example, a set of labor regulations). As an agent of political direction, the Governor General was to convince the natives of the advantages of the "French peace" ; Merlin defined and implemented a policy of “contact”, in order to gain the support of the natives to the French cause, while at the same time practicing a "defensive" policy, made necessary by the eruption of movements hostile to the French presence.

This thesis explores the languages of Native policy in New Zealand’s General Assembly from 1858 to 1862. It argues, aligning with the scholarship of Peter Mandler and Duncan Bell, that a stadial discourse, which understood history as a progression from savage or barbarian states to those of civility, was the main paradigm in this period. Other discourses have received attention in New Zealand historiography, namely Locke and Vattel’s labour theory of land and Wakefield’s theory of systematic colonization; but some traditions have not been closely examined, including mid-Victorian Saxonism, the Burkean common law tradition, and the French discourse concerning national character. This thesis seeks to delineate these intellectual contexts that were both European and British, with reference to Imperial and colonial contexts. The thesis comprises a close reading of parliamentary addresses by C. W. Richmond, J. E. FitzGerald and Henry Sewell.

This thesis explores the languages of Native policy in New Zealand’s General Assembly from 1858 to 1862. It argues, aligning with the scholarship of Peter Mandler and Duncan Bell, that a stadial discourse, which understood history as a progression from savage or barbarian states to those of civility, was the main paradigm in this period. Other discourses have received attention in New Zealand historiography, namely Locke and Vattel’s labour theory of land and Wakefield’s theory of systematic colonization; but some traditions have not been closely examined, including mid-Victorian Saxonism, the Burkean common law tradition, and the French discourse concerning national character. This thesis seeks to delineate these intellectual contexts that were both European and British, with reference to Imperial and colonial contexts. The thesis comprises a close reading of parliamentary addresses by C. W. Richmond, J. E. FitzGerald and Henry Sewell.