The 1972 French law against racism stands as the cornerstone of the nation's antiracist institutions. Although it was enacted in the same era as the three British Race Relations Acts (of 1965, 1968, and 1976), the similarities between the two countries' race policies are surprisingly limited. Rather than proceeding in a series of small steps toward comprehensive antiracism structures, for example, France took one giant leap. It covered in a single bound most of the territory it took Britain three rounds of legislation and over a decade to traverse. Moreover, in contrast to British legislation, France's 1972 law generated relatively little political controversy at the time of passage, having been adopted by a unanimous vote in both the National Assembly and the Senate.

On the other hand, much as in Britain, passing the law was not an easy task for its supporters. Proposals for comprehensive antiracist legislation were first developed in the 1950s by the human rights interest group MRAP (Movement Against Racism, Anti-Semitism and for Peace). It was not until over a decade after they were introduced into Parliament, however, that they were enacted into law. Once on the agenda, the MRAP's formula for legislation remained largely intact and strikingly different from that of its cross-Channel neighbor. In its final form, the French law of 1972 established criminal rather than civil penalties for access racism, contained no race-conscious elements, and promoted the role of private groups – rather than an administrative agency – in leading the fight against racism.