Three Key Factors in Morocco Independence
Kingdom of Morocco achieved independence from France on 2 March, 1956 after more than forty years of French and Spanish rule as northern third of the country and Western Sahara was controlled by Spain. There were many contributory factors in achieving the independence, however, three key factors played a major role in Morocco Independence. These key factors shall be discussed in the essay.
French and Spanish colonial administrations brought more than half a million skilled European to Morocco with heavy influx of money and made progress in the fields of education, health and transport. However, there was constant resistance to the foreign rule especially in the early years of five years of rebellions of Abdel Karim (Guilain 2). In 1921, Abdel Karim won a sensational battle with Spanish Army and controlled the area of Rif. He was defeated by a joint force of France and Spain in 1926 that ended his control over the area of Rif. However, groups of young Moroccans continued their resistance to the French and Spanish rule throughout the period of forty years. Moroccans demanded political liberty and independence from French rule and start of Second World War gave a boost to their demands of independence. Landing of American forces on Moroccan coast in 1942 and subsequent conference at Casablanca in 1943, forced Roosevelt to oppose the continuation of French colonial rule in Morocco and elsewhere. In 1944, Moroccans formed the Istaqlal Party with the tacit support of Sultan of Morocco. In 1952, France initiated a final assault against the independence movement, arrested many leaders of Istaqlal Party and sent Sultan of Morocco to exile. This resulted in enhanced terrorism which was followed by armed insurgency in 1955. The events in Morocco were incidentally coordinated with the similar kind of events in Algeria where population had a higher percentage of French settlers. In the worst circumstance, the French government gave in quickly and brought back the Sultan from exile. In November 1955, French government agrees to the independence of Morocco; agreement comes into effect from March, 1956. Similar arrangements were agreed for Spanish part of Morocco. International status of Tangier was finished and it was fully integrated to the rest of country by 1960. Morocco was back to its pre-colonial geographic borders and with the same dynasty in charge of the country (Guilain 2).
There have been variety of factors that led to the independence of Morocco from French and Spanish rule. Three key factors to include the rise of Moroccan nationalism, the French influence and the Berber factor.
- Rise of Moroccan Nationalism. Moroccan nationalism started to rise from the start of 1920s and it increased with the passage of time. French rule was not a pleasant thing for Moroccan people especially the young generation wanted freedom and independence at all cost (Country Profile 6). In 1934, a group of nationalist formed a Moroccan Action Committee and proposed reforms for getting back to the direct rule as dictated by the treaty of Fes, Moroccan’s admittance to the government positions and formation of a representative council. The tactics used by Moroccan Action Committee for attention towards proposed reforms, personal appeals by the Moroccan leaders, petitions, newspaper editorials did not impress the French government and Moroccan Action Committee was split due to their failure of perusing their objectives. Second World War gave the chance to divided nationalists to join together more cohesively. This time the young and informed Moroccan dreamed of the real independence through a political change after the war. Moroccans belief of allies’ victory in Morocco and resultant independence of Morocco proved wrong. In 1944, Moroccan Istaqlal Party through a manifesto demanded full independence, full national re-unification and a democratic institution. The manifesto was approved by the sultan before sending it to French Resident General. The response given by the Resident General was disappointing as France was not considering any such option of giving independence to Morocco. Nationalist and sultan were on one page by the end of Second World War, however, sultan saw the independence coming gradually in phases. The death of Tunisian labor leader erupted violence in Casablanca in 1952 and the event marked a watershed in relations between French authorities and Moroccan political parties. French Residency banned the Istaqlal Party and the new Moroccan Communist Party. Deportation of sultan to Madagascar enraged the nationalist and the religious followers of sultan who considered him as the religious leader of the country. France submitted to the demands of Moroccan in two years’ time due to the rising violence in Morocco and deteriorating security situation in Algeria. French government brought the Sultan back to Morocco in submission to the popular demand. It was mainly the rise of nationalism that gathered all the political parties and fighting groups to demand the independence and finally succeeded in getting independence from France and Spain in 1956.
- French Influence was the second key factor in bringing independence to Morocco. Under the protectorate, French civil servant and French settlers in Morocco aligned themselves with each other and prevent any move by Moroccan people towards the Moroccan autonomy. As pacification proceeded, French government promoted the economic development through modern transportation system and exploitation of mineral wealth of Morocco (Country Profile 6). French developed modern agricultural sector geared to French market. Thousands of people migrated to Morocco, purchased huge agricultural lands there. These people kept their pressure on the French government to keep her full control over Morocco in order to ensure their cause is well served. France faced utter annihilation from the hands of Germans in the Second World War and whole of France was overrun by German forces in matter of two weeks. This weakened their control on their colonies too and their influence greatly reduced in Morocco too. Reduced French influence was one of the reason that led to Moroccan independence in 1956.
- Berber Factor. There are over twenty million Berber people with their distinct identity and language and most of them are settled in Morocco. Morocco has the highest Berber population over 10.4 million; over 40% of the total population. Most of Berbers are concentrated mainly in the Rif and the Atlas mountains of Morocco (anglefire 1). Berbers are famous for their fighting instincts and they have intense love for freedom. With 40% of the population of Morocco, Berbers played a major disturbing factor for the French government. Abdel Karim who defeated the Spanish forces in 1921 was a Berber leader and ruled the Rif’s area for next five years until he was defeated by the joint forces of France and Spain in 1926. Abdel Karim was outscored in number by the combined forces of two countries, France and Spain. Despite the bigger difference between the two forces, Abdel Karim and his forces fought very well and it was not an easy victory for the French and Spanish forces. Berbers have been the major part of every resistance offered to the French government in Morocco on all the fronts; whether on political front or in the shape of armed resistance. The major resistance offered to the French rule in Morocco was by Berbers. The Berber factor was one of the key factor that brought independence to Morocco.
The three key factors discussed above are the major elements that supported the campaign of Moroccan independence. There are number of other contributory factors that helped achieving the final objectives of complete independence and re-unification of Morocco. Morocco, today, stands as one of the most developed African nation due to the French and Spanish footprints in the country.
Works Cited
Library of Congress. Country Profile. Morocco. 2006. Web. 28 May. 2014
Denoeux, Guilain. Countries at the Crossroads. Morocco. Freedomhouse.org. 2011. Web. 28 May. 2014.
Historyworld.net. History of Morocco. The Barbary Coast: A European Carve up, the colonial decades Kingdom of Morocco, Western Sahara. 2014. Web. 28 May. 2014.
Anglefire.com. Chapter 6 the Berbers of North Africa. 2011. Web. 28 May. 2014.
