Because the economic relations between France and its external possessions are still in conformity, in 1934, with the principles of the old Colonial Pact, with the customs assimilation, the monopoly of the flag for the commercial navigation, the systematic development of the products and materials necessary to the metropolis, with also, as a corollary, the declared or tacit refusal to create a real colonial industry capable, in the more or less long term, of one day competing with metropolitan industry. As a whole, the system tends towards narrow protectionism, which is never a factor of progress.
Finally, the political regime is very diversified since we find old colonies assimilated to the metropolis or in the process of assimilation (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyana, Réunion) and three French departments forming a general government (Algeria), alongside colonies of the ordinary type, protectorates (Morocco - Tunisia Annam - Cambodia - Laos), territories under mandate (Syria - Lebanon - Togo - Cameroon), reporting sometimes to the Ministry of the Interior (old colonies - Algeria), sometimes to that of Foreign Affairs (Morocco -Tunisia - Syria - Lebanon), sometimes to that of France in 'overseas, former Colonial Ministry.
A final remark:the French Empire is much less populated and less rich than the British Empire. The Frenchman, essentially land-dweller, with a marked peasant temperament, took little interest in the resources of the subsoil. He only pushed mining prospecting a little, contenting himself with what was apparent and with a high ore content, while the Belgians found, through more in-depth investigations, a real Eldorado in Katanga. As a result, the economy of the French overseas territories is typically a 19th century economy – which ended only in 1914 – and not a 20th century one. It is already a thing of the past. It should also be noted that the French invest little money in credit transactions aimed at developing their external territories, whereas before 1914 they enthusiastically subscribed to Russian or South American loans.