Colonial Domination Strategies

The French colonial authorities employed many measures to assert dominance in Morocco, notably through the Great Caïds alliances and the Berber Policy in areas where the former was unsuccessful. The Great Caïds initiative enabled local leaders to serve as intermediaries between the populace and colonial authority, granting them responsibilities for tax collection and regional administration on behalf of the French. This strategy proved effective in the High Atlas and southern regions, where local figures like Thami El Glaoui held significant traditional authority. The strategy was unsuccessful in several regions, like the Middle Atlas, where France encountered opposition from tribes that resisted the authority of the Great Caïds due to their independent tribal organizations and challenging geography. Following this failure, France instituted the Berber Policy, which aimed at Amazigh tribes by imposing local regulations in lieu of Islamic Sharia. The objective was to fragment Moroccan society and undermine national cohesion by highlighting Arab-Amazigh cultural and linguistic differences. On May 16, 1930, the Berber Dahir codified this methodology, encountering significant opposition in Morocco. This resistance united Arabs and Amazighs against colonialism. These projects illustrate the adaptability of French colonial practices to local circumstances yet also reveal their limitations when confronted with Moroccan society's resistance and commitment to unity, monarchy, and national identity. These policies served as an incentive for Moroccan nationalists and the monarchy to pursue independence. This paper will employ a qualitative methodology, utilizing a historical method and archive research-based approach to analyse the dynamics and implications of French colonial strategies in Morocco.