tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1042587494012331021.post2031607213073822656..comments2023-09-07T03:20:24.100-07:00Comments on Revolutions and Political Violence: Thousands of Moroccan youth take to streets Michael Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09669512353829041768noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1042587494012331021.post-20702137102695413182013-04-09T12:24:14.183-07:002013-04-09T12:24:14.183-07:00This case of Morocco is interesting in various way...This case of Morocco is interesting in various ways. From this article and from the class discussions, the issue of youth unemployment is central to the Arab Spring protests; but according to this entry, the labor movement is at the front of the protests in Morocco, which hasn't been emphasized as much in other countries. Makes me wonder what kind of influence left/labor groups may have in the future of Morocco and the MENA region more openly, as it seems to be a movement that has lost much momentum compared to the past. <br /><br />In regards to Al-Qaeda wanting to establish a base so close to Europe, the proximity makes me think of the situation in Spain. Is there any possibility that protests in Morocco could jump the handful of kilometers across the Straight of Gibraltar? The youth economic situation is surprisingly similar. High levels of youth unemployment, dissatisfaction with a government increasingly out of touch with the people... Although there are obviously differences between the two countries, it would be an interesting example of diffusion. Michael Parrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04387713323847042343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1042587494012331021.post-32178460826843355262013-04-09T10:44:46.946-07:002013-04-09T10:44:46.946-07:00Sounds like a lot of the same problems going on in...Sounds like a lot of the same problems going on in neighboring Algeria. Although protests may be nonviolent for the time being, if things don't change it is only a matter of time before the violence begins. I do agree that the development of youth centers and camps is a step in the right direction and shows that the Moroccan Government recognizes how important the youth are to the country's future.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13815821773884651087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1042587494012331021.post-59824763349743052762013-04-08T23:06:05.153-07:002013-04-08T23:06:05.153-07:00Morocco's pro-democracy movement has been work...Morocco's pro-democracy movement has been working in an interesting under-the-radar way for the past two years. I think the low level of civic education and lack of democratic political history are large contributing factors to the regime's survival, and historical and cultural legacies of the monarchy as a very well-liked regime perpetuate preference falsification. Nevertheless, the regime has been torturing prisoners (http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/04/02/morocco-french-president-should-raise-rights-issues-0), pushing back against artists calling for democracy (http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jtlUWRBLZY0DNQ_8qNQ5MFqw4Lkg?docId=CNG.679f96f51c30172e15b2fced7c84c446.831), and is dealing with some very interesting politics regarding prostitution (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/30/world/africa/moroccan-villages-war-on-prostitution-draws-critics.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0). Issues like these, among many others, show cracks in the supposedly well-liked monarchy's power.<br /><br />At the Conference on World Affairs "Arab Spring: Identities in Revolution" discussion today, the panelists asked each other which regime yet relatively unscathed by the Arab Spring is looking the most vulnerable. Panelist Willow Wilson (an American journalist who lived in Cairo 2003-2008) responded "Morocco" because of economic and social issues. She could be right.Veronicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15685901557506318232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1042587494012331021.post-58545857091360467122013-04-08T22:40:23.963-07:002013-04-08T22:40:23.963-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Veronicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15685901557506318232noreply@blogger.com