How did French policy in Algeria change during the July Monarchy?

During the July Monarchy (1830–1848), French policy in Algeria underwent a significant shift from uncertainty to a commitment to permanent occupation and expansion.

Initially, the regime wavered between total withdrawal and continued presence, often viewing the campaign as a costly foreign distraction. However, by the mid-1830s, the government decided to remain in the territory. This transition toward a more aggressive stance culminated in an all-out war to crush the resistance led by Abdelkader.123

Under the ministry of François Guizot, the French military, led by General Thomas-Robert Bugeaud, implemented brutal tactics to break Algerian resistance. These methods included irregular warfare, the destruction of crops and livestock, and the forced displacement of the native population into the mountains. This period established the foundation for colonial rule, characterized by the systematic confiscation of cultivable land and the initiation of a program to colonize the coastal plains. By the time Abdelkader surrendered in 1847, the French had firmly secured their control, setting the pattern for long-term settler domination.4125