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Why did Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand argue that France should establish colonies in Africa?
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Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand, prince de Bénévent
French diplomat Talleyrand, portrait by Pierre-Paul Prud'hon, 1817.
In July 1797, Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand presented a paper to the Institut National in which he argued that France should establish colonies in Africa because it would be unable to reconquer its former American colonies. This strategic proposal was intended to demonstrate his political foresight and help him secure the position of foreign minister.1