The National Assembly of France Votes to Repeal the 1685 Code Noir.

法國國民議會投票廢除 1685 年的《黑法典》

Jun 2, 2026, 19:50
EuropePolitics

Introduction

The French lower house of parliament has unanimously approved legislation to formally abolish the Code Noir, a colonial-era decree regulating slavery.

法國議會下議院一致通過了一項立法，正式廢除殖民時期用來監管奴隸制度的法令——《黑法典》。

Main Body

The legislative action concerns the 1685 royal edict issued by King Louis XIV, which established the legal framework for slavery within French colonial territories, including Saint-Domingue, Martinique, and Guadeloupe. Under Article 44 of said decree, enslaved individuals were categorized as 'movable property,' facilitating their commercial exchange and inheritance. The code further mandated Catholic baptism and prescribed corporal punishment, mutilation, or execution for resistance. Despite the general abolition of slavery in 1848, the Code Noir remained technically extant until the recent 254-0 vote in the National Assembly; final ratification remains contingent upon Senate approval.

此次立法行動針對的是路易十四國王於 1685 年頒布的皇家法令，該法令為法國殖民地（包括聖多明各、馬丁尼克和瓜德路普）建立了奴隸制度的法律框架。根據該法令的第 44 條，被奴役者被歸類為「動產」，以便於商業交易與繼承。該法典還強制要求接受天主教洗禮，並規定對反抗者處以體罰、殘肢或處決。儘管 1848 年已全面廢除奴隸制度，但《黑法典》在技術上一直存在，直到最近國民議會以 254 票對 0 票通過廢除；最終批准仍需視參議院通過而定。

This legislative movement occurs within a broader context of institutional reappraisal regarding colonial legacies. The French state's historical involvement in the transatlantic slave trade—estimated at 1.4 million transports—contributed significantly to the capital accumulation of port cities such as Bordeaux and Nantes. Furthermore, the state's imposition of reparations on Haiti following its 1804 independence remained unresolved until 1947. This domestic shift coincides with international developments, such as the apology issued by Pope Leo XIV regarding the Vatican's historical legitimization of colonial subjugation through the Doctrine of Discovery.

這次立法進程發生在對殖民遺產進行更廣泛制度性重新評估的背景下。法國政府歷史上參與跨大西洋奴隸貿易（估計運送人數達 140 萬），這對波爾多和南特等港口城市的資本積累貢獻顯著。此外，法國在 1804 年海地獨立後強加的賠償，直到 1947 年才得以解決。這種國內轉變與國際發展同步，例如教宗利奧十四就梵蒂岡歷史上透過「發現教義」使殖民壓迫合法化而道歉。

Stakeholder positions remain diverged regarding the efficacy of this repeal. While proponents, including lawmakers Max Mathiasin and Steevy Gustave, characterize the act as a restoration of human dignity, critics and scholars, such as Florence Alexis, contend that the symbolic nature of the repeal fails to address systemic socio-economic disparities. These disparities are particularly evident in overseas departments—Réunion, French Guiana, Martinique, and Guadeloupe—which remain among France's most impoverished regions. Consequently, there is increasing pressure for the state to transition from symbolic gestures to the provision of financial reparations, a possibility President Emmanuel Macron has acknowledged as a subject that should not be dismissed, though no formal commitment has been articulated.

持份者對於此次廢除的成效看法不一。支持者（包括立法者 Max Mathiasin 和 Steevy Gustave）將此舉定調為恢復人類尊嚴；而批評者與學者（如 Florence Alexis）則認為，此次廢除的象徵性質未能解決系統性的社會經濟差距。這些差距在海外省（留尼汪、法屬圭亞那、馬丁尼克和瓜德路普）尤為明顯，這些地區仍屬於法國最貧困的地區。因此，要求政府從象徵性姿態轉向提供財務賠償的壓力日益增加，總統馬克宏承認這是一個不應被忽視的主題，但尚未做出正式承諾。

Conclusion

France has moved to erase a 340-year-old legal artifact of slavery, though the debate over material reparations and systemic inequality persists.

法國已採取行動抹除一個存在 340 年的奴隸制度法律產物，但關於物質賠償與系統性不平等的爭論依然持續。

Vocabulary Learning

The Architecture of Nominalization and 'Statutory' Precision

To move from B2 to C2, a student must transition from describing actions to conceptualizing states. This text provides a masterclass in High-Density Nominalization, where verbs are transformed into nouns to create an aura of objective, academic authority.

◈ The 'C2 Shift': Action →\rightarrow Concept

Observe the phrase: "...the state's imposition of reparations on Haiti... remained unresolved."

  • B2 Approach (Verbal): The state imposed reparations on Haiti, and this was not resolved.
  • C2 Approach (Nominal): The imposition... remained unresolved.

By turning the action (imposing) into a noun (imposition), the writer treats the event as a fixed historical object. This allows for the attachment of precise modifiers and a more detached, scholarly tone.

◈ Linguistic Nuance: The 'Legalistic' Lexicon

C2 mastery requires the ability to utilize vocabulary that signals specific professional registers. This text employs Juridical English, characterized by words that are not 'incorrect' at B2, but lack the necessary precision for high-level discourse:

  • Extant (vs. existing): Used here to denote a legal state of being currently in force. It suggests a technical survival of a law.
  • Contingent upon (vs. depends on): Establishes a formal condition of necessity.
  • Articulated (vs. said/stated): In a political context, this refers to the formal expression of a policy or position.

◈ Syntactic Sophistication: The 'Appositive' Expansion

Notice how the author handles complex data without breaking the flow of the sentence:

"...the transatlantic slave trade—estimated at 1.4 million transports—contributed significantly..."

The use of em-dashes for parenthetical interpolation is a hallmark of C2 writing. It allows the author to inject quantitative evidence without disrupting the primary subject-verb relationship (trade contributed).

C2 Synthesis Tip: When drafting formal reports, look for your verbs. If you find too many active verbs in a row, attempt to 'freeze' one into a noun. Instead of saying "The government decided to change the law," try "The government's decision to amend the legislation." This shift elevates the register from narrative to analytical.

Vocabulary Learning

unanimously (adv.)
In every case or by every person; completely or entirely.
Example:The committee voted unanimously, leaving no dissent.
abolish (v.)
To formally end or eliminate.
Example:The new law will abolish the outdated code.
colonial-era (adj.)
Relating to the period when a region was a colony.
Example:The colonial-era policies shaped the nation's history.
regulating (v.)
To control or supervise.
Example:The legislation aims to regulate trade practices.
legislative (adj.)
Relating to law‑making.
Example:The legislative session passed several reforms.
edict (n.)
An official proclamation.
Example:The king issued an edict banning slavery.
movable property (n.)
Personal property that can be moved.
Example:Enslaved people were deemed movable property.
facilitating (v.)
Making a process easier.
Example:The new system is facilitating trade.
commercial exchange (n.)
The act of buying and selling.
Example:The treaty encouraged commercial exchange.
inheritance (n.)
The right to receive property from a deceased person.
Example:He claimed inheritance from his uncle.
mandated (v.)
Required or ordered.
Example:The law mandated equal pay.
corporal punishment (n.)
Physical punishment inflicted on the body.
Example:Corporal punishment was common in schools.
mutilation (n.)
The act of cutting off body parts.
Example:The war caused widespread mutilation.
execution (n.)
The carrying out of a sentence, especially a death sentence.
Example:The execution was carried out swiftly.
resistance (n.)
The act of opposing or defying.
Example:Resistance to the new policy grew.
extant (adj.)
Still in existence; surviving.
Example:The manuscript is extant.
ratification (n.)
The formal approval or confirmation of a treaty or law.
Example:Ratification of the treaty was delayed.
contingent (adj.)
Dependent on something; conditional.
Example:The grant is contingent on meeting criteria.
institutional reappraisal (n.)
A systematic reassessment by institutions.
Example:The reform sparked institutional reappraisal.
transatlantic (adj.)
Crossing or relating to the Atlantic Ocean.
Example:Transatlantic trade shaped economies.
capital accumulation (n.)
The process of building wealth or capital.
Example:Capital accumulation fueled growth.
imposition (n.)
The act of forcing or imposing.
Example:The imposition of taxes was unpopular.
reparations (n.)
Compensation for harm or injury.
Example:Reparations were demanded by survivors.
subjugation (n.)
The act of subduing or bringing under control.
Example:The subjugation of the natives lasted decades.
Doctrine of Discovery (n.)
A principle that legitimized European colonization of non‑Christian lands.
Example:The Doctrine of Discovery justified conquest.
diverged (adj.)
Differing in opinion or direction.
Example:Their views diverged sharply.
efficacy (n.)
The ability to produce a desired effect.
Example:The efficacy of the policy is debated.
human dignity (n.)
The inherent worth and respect due to every person.
Example:Respecting human dignity is essential.
socio-economic (adj.)
Relating to society and economic factors.
Example:Socio‑economic factors influence health.
disparities (n.)
Differences or inequalities between groups.
Example:Income disparities widened.
overseas departments (n.)
Territories outside the mainland that have a special status.
Example:Overseas departments have unique status.
impoverished (adj.)
Lacking wealth or resources; very poor.
Example:The region is impoverished.
provision (n.)
The act of supplying or providing.
Example:The provision of aid was delayed.
dismissal (n.)
The act of rejecting or terminating.
Example:His dismissal shocked colleagues.
material reparations (n.)
Physical compensation or restitution.
Example:Material reparations were minimal.
systemic inequality (n.)
Inherent inequality built into systems.
Example:Systemic inequality hampers progress.
artifact (n.)
An object of historical or cultural interest.
Example:The artifact was preserved.
persist (v.)
To continue to exist or endure.
Example:The issue persists.
Practice C2 words in a crossword→