Struggling with Modernity
As other Arab countries, Morocco endures many problems keeping its traditions on its way to modernity. Morocco not only faces this tough balance, but the fact that the country is ruled, in many ways, by a Dictatorship. The king controls the legislative, the executive and the judicatory, is the head of the army and the commander of religion matters.
The "October 20th" movement was born after the Arab Spring stroke other Arab countries. Young people thinking out of the box, the few human rights activists and also Islamists formed it to fight for a true democracy. But Mohammed VI is very clever and has the support of almost all the population due to some reforms towards democracy, he quickly reacted making some changes in the constitution.
Morocco struggles with strong inequalities. In one hand, illiteracy and poverty spread all over the country, a small middle class trying to make a life between modernity and religion. On the other hand, a small group of very rich families who control all the resources of the country and its head, the king, owning more than 1,500 companies trhough the country and ranking six on the list of richest kings on the world.
Freedom of press and speech are not guaranteed. Western Sahara, king and religion are untouchable. Morocco is a country where young couples are nowadays arrested to kiss in public areas, where journalists are controlled by the government, where being a good Muslim is a social obligation, where corruption spreads in all levels and where many rural people only see a solution, emigrate to Europe.
