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La structure socio-economique du zaire etait equilibree avant la colonisation. Cet equilibre qui s'articulait autour du clan et de la famille etait rompu avec la colonisation par le mecanisme de l'introduction de l'economie monetaire. Celle-ci a fait eclater le systeme de parente. La solidarite et la reciprocite des actes de production se sont effondrees. La vertu du beau temps est devenue vice de temps de l'espoir. Apres l'independance politique, l'etat zairois va chercher a acceder a l'independance economique. Certaines mesures ont ete mises en place depuis 1960. Cette politique economique qui avait une base nationaliste va echouer suite aux incoherences et aux contraintes internes et externes. Ces mesures vont donner naissance a une bourgeoisie parasitaire qui ne fait que soutenir chaque fois une politique impopulaire au vu de la masse desheritee. L'etat renforce son alliance avec la bourgeoisie neo-coloniale et bureaucratique. L'echec de cette politique economique va renforcer la structure de dependance du pays et transformer ses rapports vis-a-vis de l'exterieur. Cette transformation des rapports va entrainer le repli de la belgique, la penetration de la france et l'arrivee de fmi. En fait, la politique economique du zaire est et sera pour longtemps un instrument de dependance economique et de maintien du statu quo.   The socio0economic structure of zaire was in equilibrium before the colonization. Based upon the family and the clan, that equilbrium was upset with the colonization through the introduction of money. The kinship system was dislocated. Consequently, there was no longer a community of interests. After the political independence, the stade was engaged to reach the economic independence. Some measures were adopted since 1960. Despite its nationalistic basis, that economic policy failed. This was due to external andinternal constraints but these measures allowed the development of a parasitic middle-class which is about to support any unpopular policy. Links between the government and the neo-colonial and bureaucratic middle-class were strengthened. The failure of the economic policy contributed to reinforce the structure of dependency of the country and to transform its relations with foreign countries. With these transformations, the belgium withdrew, giving way to the french penetration, also followed by the i.m.f. In fact, the economic policy of zaire is and will be for a long term an instrument of economic dependency and keeping of the status quo

CETTE THESE TENTE D'EXPLICITER LES DIVERSES CAUSES DU SOUS-DEVELOPPEMENT DE L'AFRIQUE NOIRE D'AVANT LA COLONISATION JUSQU'A NOS JOURS. LES DRAMES QUE VIT LE CONTINENT SONT L'ACCUMULATION, LA REPETITION D'ERREURS, DE RIVALITES IDEOLOGIQUES, OBSTACLES AU DEVELOPPEMENT. SON BUT EST DE METTRE EN EVIDENCE QUE L'AFRIQUE NE SE DEVELOPPERA JAMAIS DANS UNE OPPOSITION : AFRIQUE MIMETIQUE DES INTELLECTUELS, DES GOUVERNANTS MINORITAIRES ET AFRIQUE PAYSANNE TRADITIONNELLE, DEPOSITAIRE DE LA CULTURE, SOCLE DU DEVELOPPEMENT. LA VOCATION ESSENTIELLE EST D'INVITER O.N.G., MAIS AUSSI INTELLECTUELS ET DIRIGEANTS AFRICAINS, A S'APPUYER SUR LA POPULATION PAYSANNE, SUR LES STRUCTURES TRADITIONNELLES POUR ENTREPRENDRE UN VERITABLE DEVELOPPEMENT. LA FINALITE EST D'INCITER L'AFRIQUE NOIRE A SE DEVELOPPER GLOBALEMENT DANS UN ESPACE DE LIBERTE POLITIQUE ET ECONOMIQUE DONT LES PRINCIPAUX ACTEURS SONT LES PAYSANS ORGANISES EN O.N.G. CE FAISANT, L'AFRIQUE REALISERA SON DESTIN DE GRANDE NATION, CELUI DES ETATS-UNIS D'AFRIQUE NOIRE.

The large programmes of Western style prefabricated buildings undertaken to alleviate the housing crisis in Algeria, are found to be incompatible with comfort and cultural aspects of Algerian society, especially in areas where social tradition still has great relevance to housing morphology. The objective of this study is to investigate the applicability of traditional building forms and environmental control strategies, as solutions to cultural and climatic requirements in a modern context, with reference to the M'zab region of Algeria. Thermal and architectural analysis of typical traditional and modern houses, shows the influence of key climatic and design parameters. A site experiment was carried out during the summer of 1987. Temperatures in five different locations were simultaneously recorded firstly in a traditional house then in a modern house under different ventilation and shading strategies. Spot readings of humidity, air movement and surface radiation were also recorded. The results showed that the traditional house, with judicious internal organisation and appropriate passive methods of environmental control, is well adapted to the local climate. Significant vertical temperature stratification occurs within the dwelling. They also showed that the modern type bears no relation to either the social or environmental factors characterising local architecture, with a consistently high temperature profile throughout the dwelling. The conclusion was that a design concept of vertical development based on the hierarchical organisation of spaces, in conjunction with the use of evaporatively cooled air, could succeed in creating a comfortable indoor environment. Such a planning arrangement can be sufficiently flexible to accommodate both variable family units, and modern standards of safety and utility. A new passive evaporative cooling device based on the mushrabyyah is presented. In addition to its reliance on locally available materials, ease of use and revival of a traditional architectural element, it also has the advantage of being readily applicable to the already existing houses in order to improve their performance.

This thesis is a report of a study of some aspects of the architecture and urban planning of the M'zab Valley communities of southern Algeria, North Africa. The interrelation of physical planning and religious/social structures of the communities of the M'zab Valley are explored. This study was concerned with the following questions: (1) What are the various environmental factors that influence the design values of the M'zabites? (2) To what extent is the distinctive style of architecture in the M'zab due to religion: the Ibadi heritage or Islam in general? (3) How has the M'zab social structure responded to outside influences in recent years? (4) What is the present trend of the M'zab urban communities in architecture and planning?

Rapid urbanisation which is a characteristic of most developing countries, has led to the importation of readily available solutions and to an overgeneralisation of human needs. The main objective of this study is to relate design to man's social and cultural needs. First, the study demonstrates the relationship between cultural and social variables that influence house form and settlement patterns. This is followed by a comparative case study analysis of existing house-settlement systems in two residential areas; one a modern government built scheme, the other a traditional development, both in the M'Zab, in Southern Algeria. The main assumption was that traditional houses and settlements were culturally more responsive than their modern equivalents. However, results refuted this assumption and indicated that social change affected many of people's values and attitudes towards housing. This indicates that neither international modernism, in housing provision, nor an attempt to slavishly copy past indigenous solutions are likely to be successful. Through studying human-environmental behaviour and using multiple-methods strategies, it is possible to bridge the gap between design and social research. A reorientation of the educational system would help towards a better communication not only between different professional practices and disciplines, but also involving the lay people. Finally, this study suggests that designing for potential adaptability a characteristic of traditional design, reflects culture, and would not only accommodate change, but would also involve active participation by people and therefore raise the level of responsibilty and satisfaction. The research combined evidence from documentary sources and field surveys. A multiple-method strategy was adopted to compare the two settlement systems of the case study. This included direct observation, interviews and trade-off games. The interview survey included three groups of people: the users, the local planning authorities and the building contractors. By stressing the socio-cultural variables, this study does not deny the role of other variables. On the contrary, the author accepts that design activities should aim towards maintaining a balance between environmental factors and financial constraints. It is, however, argued that human needs must be given at least the same degree of importance, if workable solutions to the problem of rapid urbanisation are to be found.