"Spreading light...without taking part in the affairs of the world...seeing as a trap...all expantion into Africa or the Orient-for a great nation to live this way, believe me, is...in less time than you may think, to sink from the first rank to the third and fourth."
-Jules Francois Camille Ferry, speech to the French
Chamber of Deputies, March 28, 1884
QUESTION-What activity is Ferry referring to when he speaks of "spreading light" into the world?
I believe he was talking about the Enlightenment. Please explain why my answer is right or wrong.
Thanks!
In the speech he states that they are spreading civilization to the uncivilized.
"In a speech before the Chamber of Deputies on 28 July 1885, he declared that 'the superior races have a right because they have a duty: it is their duty to civilize the inferior races.'"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Ferry
Your answer is actually incorrect. Jules Ferry, in his speech to the French Chamber of Deputies in 1884, was not referring to the Enlightenment when he mentions "spreading light" into the world. The activity he was referring to can be understood in the context of the time period.
Jules Ferry was a French statesman and colonial leader who was advocating for the expansion of French imperialism. In his speech, he was discussing France's colonial policy and justifying the need for colonial expansion. The phrase "spreading light" was a metaphorical representation of the French civilization and the idea that it was the duty of advanced nations to enlighten and civilize "lesser" nations.
So, the activity Ferry was referring to when he spoke of "spreading light" was actually the colonization and imperialism of France, rather than the Enlightenment.
To come to this understanding, it is important to analyze the historical context, look at the specific words used, and understand the broader political and social developments of the time. In this case, understanding Jules Ferry's role as a colonial leader and the context of European imperialism in the late 19th century helps us reach the correct interpretation.