The French Colonization of Morocco(With Focus on the Treaty of Fez)Kelsey Weber Zach Menzer Humanities 10XB28 February 2007

Kelsey Weber Zach Menzer Humanities 10XB28 February 2007The French Colonization of Morocco(With Focus on the Treaty of Fez)If somebody were to venture down the alluring streets of the country of Morocco, the vibrantculture and enticing atmosphere would glow in prominence. Aside from the native character the culture possesses, there is a mixture of French influence that has existed for several years. Beginning as a primitive culture struggling to support itself, Morocco became a land of conquest to European nations,especially the French. With the growing desire for power, the French began to occupy Morocco, withhopes of colonization that would increase their international empire. Because the French were able tocolonize Morocco due to their aggressive economic influence during a time of financial instability,there is a prominent French influence in Moroccan culture.Background InformationDuring the late 1800s as the turn of the century approached, Morocco secured its status as anindependent country while neighboring nations surrendered to French, Spanish, British and Turkishcolonization (

Country Profile: Morocco

)

However, in 1856, Morocco signed an agreement to open itsdomestic markets to European trading (Burke, Edmund III,

Prelude to Protectorate in Morocco, 54

).The French has become interested in Morocco decades before in 1830, however, the idea of international trading lured them into devising further involvement in Morocco (

Country Profile:Morocco

). Morocco welcomed the French but in 1903, France began to abuse its welcoming and beganto "adopt an aggressive policy towards Morocco" (

The Moroccan Crisis

). The French's entrance intoWeber, 7

Morocco occurred at a time when civil rebellions were happening and the imposing of French waysonly raised tension. Scarred by instability, the Sultan depended on the international interest that wassuspected to boost Morocco's finances, but on May 23rd, 1904, the Sultan relied on loans from Franceto just barely support the dilapidated economy (Burke, 121)

The French compromised and took controlof custom revenues in return, and slowly they were gaining power. Confident in their aid to helpMorocco's failing economy, in 1905, France asserted power to control the army, police and custom fees(

The Moroccan Crisis

). The once Independent country able to function without international help hadsuccumbed to French colonization due to their instability.Treaty of FezFrance continued to intentionally gain control of important aspects of Moroccan culture throughidentifying the weaknesses of the economy. After introducing an internal reform and receiving rejectionfrom the government, the French constructed a new approach and in 1910 "secured total financialcontrol of Morocco" (

The Moroccan Crisis

). A year later, France began to try and gain approval fromMorocco for becoming a protectorate of France and on March 30th, 1912, Morocco signed the Treatyof Fez that declared it as a French protectorate

(21

). The Treaty had created a dilemma for, however, because legally it did not remove Morocco’s label as a sovereign state but it basically manipulated theSultans power. “He reigned, but he did not rule”

(Country Profile: Morocco

). After the treaty had beensigned, the French started to develop strategies for pacification, as General Augustin Guillaume statedin a primary source news document, “We wish this country to be a sturdy bastion of order against themounting tide of anarchy”

(11

). The Treaty of Fez had granted France control of important powers inthe economy, government and social aspects of Morocco that allowed them freedom to develop thecountry in the way they saw fit because they had declared a central government (

). The French wereconvinced that first the native tribes needed to be ameliorated. Even before the French occupation theBerber tribes, inhabiting Morocco since 1200 BC, had disregarded the Sultans authority and the FrenchWeber, 7