Ben Bella and Algeria - Challenges Faced in the first 10 years and Responses to Challenges Notes

Key Questions

1. What were the political challenges facing Algeria in the first 10 years following independence and how effective was the response?
2. What were the economic challenges facing Algeria in the first 10 years following independence and how effective was the response?
3. What were the social and cultural challenges facing Algeria in the first 10 years following independence and how effective was the response?

What were the Political Challenges Facing Algeria in the First 10 Years following Independence?

1. The CNRA Meeting in Tripoli (May 1962)

1. The National Council of the Algerian Revolution (CNRA) met in Tripoli, Libya in May 1962 to outline how the FLN would transform from a revolutionary movement into a governing political party.
2. The aim was to create a mass-based political organisation that would unify all nationalist groups under a single leadership.
3. However, as historian Alistair Horne observed, once independence was achieved, deep-seated divisions within the FLN surfaced, leading to power struggles and violent internal conflicts.
   1. This political infighting escalated into a civil war-like situation, threatening the fragile unity of the new Algerian state.

2. Factional Rivalries and Struggle for Power (1962)

1. As French forces withdrew, the FLN fragmented into competing factions.
2. Ahmed Ben Bella, a prominent figure from exile, gained mass popularity and secured support from the National Liberation Army (ALN).
3. Ben Bella formed a political-military alliance with Colonel Houari Boumedienne, consolidating armed backing for his leadership bid.
4. In June 1962, Ben Bella challenged the authority of Benyoucef Benkhedda, further dividing the movement.
5. Together with Boumedienne, Khider, and Bitat, Ben Bella established a Political Bureau, rivaling the Provisional Government (GPRA).

3. Formation of the New Algerian State (1962)

1. On September 25, 1962, the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria was officially proclaimed.
2. Ferhat Abbas, a moderate and non-member of the Political Bureau, was elected President, while Ben Bella became Prime Minister.
3. The United States recognised the new government, and Algeria joined the United Nations in October 1962.
4. A triumvirate emerged, combining party (FLN), army (ALN), and government authority, led by Ben Bella, Boumedienne, and Khider.

4. The 1963 Constitution and the One-Party State

1. Ben Bella introduced a constitution crafted by the FLN, establishing a single-party system.
2. His autocratic style alienated allies such as Ferhat Abbas and Mohammed Khider, both of whom resigned in protest.
3. The constitution, passed on 15 September 1963, received broad popular support, and Ben Bella was elected president by a large majority.
4. Despite the Tripoli Program’s ideals of inclusivity, Ben Bella centralised power, believing the FLN elite could mobilise the people behind his leadership.

5. Growing Opposition and Political Suppression (1962–1964)

1. Ben Bella faced opposition from prominent FLN leaders:
   1. Mohamed Boudiaf founded the Party of the Socialist Revolution (PRS) in 1962; following a failed revolt, he was arrested and exiled to Morocco.
   2. Hocine Ait Ahmed created the Socialist Forces Front (FFS) to challenge dictatorship, leading an armed uprising in Kabylie and the Sahara (1963–1964); the rebellion was defeated, and Ait Ahmed was arrested and later escaped to Europe.
   3. Krim Belkacem and Bitat opposed the Political Bureau’s formation; Bitat resigned after disagreeing on economic policy, fled to France after state persecution.
   4. Khider urged for a stronger FLN role but was forced from office in April 1963.
   5. Ferhat Abbas resigned in August 1963, criticising the lack of legislative authority.
2. By 1964, Ben Bella had purged or sidelined most of his rivals, consolidating personal rule and bringing trade unions under FLN control.

6. The 1965 Coup and Ben Bella’s Downfall

1. Despite his repression, Ben Bella could not contain military dissatisfaction.
2. When he attempted to curtail Boumedienne’s power, the army launched a coup in June 1965, led by Colonel Boumedienne.
3. Ben Bella was imprisoned for 8 years, followed by 14 years of house arrest.
4. Bitat returned from France, supported the coup, and became a minister under Boumedienne’s regime.

7. Boumedienne’s Military Dictatorship (1965–1978)

1. Boumedienne established a military-backed dictatorship lasting 13 years.
   1. He dissolved the National Assembly, suspended the 1963 Constitution, and abolished the Political Bureau, calling it a “tool of Bella’s dictatorship.”
2. Political power shifted to the Council of the Revolution, dominated by military officers.
3. A Council of Ministers, composed of civilian technocrats, assisted in administration.
4. The coup aimed to safeguard military interests, while also promoting nationalist and Islamic values.

8. Continued Instability and Repression (1967–1970)

1. Boumedienne’s regime failed to achieve lasting stability, facing:
   1. Military unrest over centralised control and lack of collective leadership.
   2. Criticism from FLN leaders who accused him of abandoning socialism.
2. Between 1967–1968, several coup attempts were made; following a failed assassination attempt (1968), Boumedienne arrested or exiled opponents and tightened his grip on power.

9. Exile Opposition and Assassinations

1. The PRS, operating in exile (France) since 1965, disbanded in 1979 after losing support.
2. Boudiaf, marginalised after opposing Boumedienne’s coup, remained in exile.
3. Krim Belkacem, accused of plotting an attack on Boumedienne (1967), was sentenced to death in absentia.
4. He later formed the Movement for the Defence of the Algerian Revolution (MDRA) in 1970.
5. In October 1970, Belkacem was assassinated in Germany, allegedly on Boumedienne’s orders, symbolising the continuing purge of opposition figures.

Economic Challenges in Post-Independence Algeria (1962–1972)

1. Widespread Devastation After Independence

1. Following eight years of brutal war, Algeria’s economy and infrastructure were left in ruins.
2. Hundreds of thousands of Algerians were killed, while many more were displaced internally.
3. In the first months after independence (1962), thousands of pro-French Muslims (harkis) were massacred, deepening the humanitarian crisis.
4. The departure of nearly one million pieds-noirs (European settlers), many of whom had key economic and administrative roles, created a vacuum in skilled labour, management, and technical expertise.

2. Rebuilding a Shattered Economy and State

1. The new FLN-led government faced the urgent task of reconstructing infrastructure, reorganising governance, and stabilising the economy.
2. The Tripoli Program (1962) outlined the economic blueprint for the new state, rooted in socialist principles and state-led development.