Moroccan Monarchy and the Islamist Challenge - Maintaining Makhzen Power (Electronic book text)

Despite the much debated global crisis of authoritarianism, in which authoritarian regimes came under attack from pro-democracy groups and movements, the traditional systems in the Middle East still stand. This book examines the factors behind the survival and persistence of monarchical authoritarianism in Morocco and argues that state rituals of power affect the opposition forces ability to challenge the monarchy. Despite many challenges to its legitimacy in the post-independence era (e.g. political Islam, military coups, socio-economic imperatives of modernization, and deteriorating economic conditions), the monarchy in Morocco has maintained a stable political system. The survival of the monarchy in Morocco not only features a panoply of institutional manipulation and coercive means, but a unique framework of authority that is anchored in the political culture of Morocco.