Albert Sarraut
A French colonial administrator turned twice Prime Minister, whose political career was deeply intertwined with the management and eventual unraveling of France's empire.
1872–1962 (age 90)·French politician·Birthday: July 28·The Gilded Age
Biography
Albert Sarraut's long political life was a mirror of France's Third Republic, particularly its fraught relationship with its colonies. A Radical Party stalwart from southwestern France, he first made his name as a colonial specialist, serving as Governor-General of French Indochina twice. His tenure there was marked by a paternalistic belief in a 'French mission' to develop the region, though he also advocated for slightly more associationist policies. Back in Paris, he held numerous ministerial posts, his expertise on colonial affairs making him a constant cabinet presence. His two terms as Prime Minister in the 1930s were brief and unstable, typical of the era's parliamentary musical chairs, but he continued to be a significant voice. During the Vichy regime, he retreated from public life. Sarraut's legacy is complex, embodying the confident colonial administrator of the early 20th century who lived to see that world order completely dismantled.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
Albert was born in 1872, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Albert Was Born
The biggest hits of 1872
Albert's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1872Born
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1877Started school
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1885Became a teenager
Karl Benz builds the first gasoline-powered automobile
President: Grover Cleveland
1888Could drive
President: Grover Cleveland
1890Could vote
Wounded Knee massacre marks the end of the Indian Wars
President: Benjamin Harrison
1893Turned 21
World's Columbian Exposition dazzles Chicago
President: Grover Cleveland
1902Turned 30
The eruption of Mount Pelee kills 30,000 in Martinique
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1912Turned 40
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1922Turned 50
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1932Turned 60
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1942Turned 70
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1952Turned 80
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Died at 90
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
Key Achievements
- Served as Prime Minister of France twice, in 1933 and 1936, though both governments were short-lived.
- Was the long-serving Governor-General of French Indochina, shaping colonial policy there from 1911-1914 and 1916-1919.
- Authored the influential book 'La Mise en valeur des colonies françaises', outlining his vision for colonial development.
- Held key ministerial positions including Minister of the Colonies, Minister of the Interior, and Minister of the Navy.
Did You Know?
He was a passionate art collector and bequeathed his significant collection of Asian art to the Musée Albert-Sarraut in Carcassonne.
His brother, Maurice Sarraut, was a newspaper publisher and senator who was assassinated by the Milice in 1943.
Sarraut survived an assassination attempt in Hanoi in 1919 by a Vietnamese nationalist.
He was a Freemason, a common affiliation for politicians of the French Third Republic.
“France brings civilization to its colonies through a policy of association.”
