The policy of Association was adopted by the ________.

The policy of Association was adopted by the French. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, France controlled a number of colonies in Africa. To manage these colonies, the French implemented a policy of "association," which aimed to maintain a form of indirect rule by working with existing African social and political structures. Under this policy, local African leaders were allowed to maintain some autonomy and were encouraged to participate in the colonial administration. However, ultimate power remained in the hands of the French colonial authorities. The policy of association was part of the larger French colonial system known as "la mission civilisatrice," or the "civilizing mission," which was the French justification for their colonization of Africa. The policy of association was different from the British policy of direct rule, in which the British appointed their own officials to govern their colonies, often disregarding existing social and political structures.