The majority of underprivileged remain subjected to taxes and minimal assistance from King Mohammad whose secured the position in 1999 as successor of his father, King Hassan II, forty-two year rule. 
The policies adhered to by the state is ensuring a secular society that seeks insulation from the threat of radical Islam. So the thinking goes, that if outspoken religious fervor went unchecked that the country would succumb to a much less friendly and more intolerant place to live. Dictating his policy from the grand palace in the northern capital city of Rabat, Mohammad XI simply seems to just perpetuate the sad standards of living that have been customary for many decades. The privileged economic elite comprising 95% of the nation's wealth. A vast majority of the population subsists on their meager budgets by working jobs concentrated in agriculture, the service sector as well as illiegal exportation of canibis or unemployed.

Located less than a mile north across the strait of Gibraltar connects the country to Spain, which is partly to explain the degree of Western influence has long worked its way into society. For several hundred years before the ascension of the Spanish Monarch under Ferdinand and Isabella, Muslim practicing Moors occupied large sections of the Iberian Peninsula, having migrated from North Africa. It was not until a fateful defeat by Spain’s military that the banishment nearly drove the entire Muslim prescense out that originally had mobilized during the Almoravid and Almohad movements in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. The migration into Europe was a function of the determination by Muslims who had achieved great advancements in agriculture, commerce, and forward thinking borrowed from the ideas of classical Greek teachings in addition to the doctrine of Prophet Mohammad. Once though this grand ambition of pan Arabization proved impossible in Europe when confronted against the Christian aggressors, the movement relocated back within it’s original borders. Disputes if power struggle frequently erupted among neighbors of the Northwest African region and as seen lately skirmishes still continue in the Magreb territory.

Western Sahara which is considered by the government to be part of Morocco has long claimed autonomy. This is an effect of it being annexed by several countries including Spain for a time before treaties released nearly all areas back to Morocco. The Saharan region also borders along the country of Matriana that has played into the contention concerning the foreign claims over it’s land.

The desert land carries a nostalgic image of the arabesque setting among bright desert skies and far stretching plateaus of sand. A Western Sahara separatist movement called the Polisario Front holds a small representation in parliament and has received some support under the United Nations since 1974.

Aside from invasions during occasional incidents in the eighteenth and nineteenth century, Morocco largely maintained independence leading up to the age of colonial imperialism. It was able to avoid some of the heaviest encroachment by foreign rule compared to that of Egypt under Great Britain, Libya by Italy, and neighboring Algeria by France. Spain had kept close watch over Morocco as a protectorate prior to colonial times and so upon the onset of the movement, Morocco managed to remain largely liberated from major encroachment during the late nineteenth century.

France’s occupation into other western African nations particularly Algeria to the east provided some initial influence on the people of Morocco in the early twentieth century. As the early two decades of the century ensued, nationalism among foreign powers was growing stronger and competition more tense as conditions that ultimately provoked World War I were having an impact on international diplomacy. The effect that all of this had on Morocco was a move away from what was a relaxed French involvement to a more concerted part in colonizing the country.

As most of these North African nations came to find out, the intentions seemed at first inspiring and beneficial. These superpowers offered the incentive of vastly improving the quality of life with infrastructure projects, education improvements and access to global markets.

France also presented a preferred colonial influence to model itself after as it would speak for the autonomy that the Moroccans hoped to preserve for itself against the Spanish. Resentment had been expressed by Moroccans regarding the several centuries of interference from Spain, precluding any interest in emulating the culture of it’s northern neighbor.

However, a lack of progress and ulterior motives began discouraging people due to the slight improvement in living conditions and the degree to which occupation had worn on the patience of the citizens. And the degree to which France and Spain were inflicting it’s influence upon Morocco grew.

Impressively, in an important defensive stance that came to be known as the ‘Disaster in Morocco’ by it’s attackers , Spain pursued what it thought would be a decisive attack just across the Strait of Gibraltar. Moroccan troops however devised a strategic entrapment that resulted in a slaughter of the encroaching troops , solidifying some authenticity, and calling into question the imperial power of Spain within the Morocco.

This event ocurred in 1924 when under the leadership Abdel Krim, who ruled for nearly fifty years until 1927 and is credited to the best of his ability with instituting a protectionist policy against foreign mingling.

Ammad Ibn Youseuf followed shortly thereafter and presided over Morocco through much of the critical times that European powers were tightening their grip on plans for colonial empowerment.

At first, adopting European ways into local culture was welcomed in exchange for the promise of modernizing civic developments, businesess and education as touted by the Europeans.

These initiatives however largely failed to have the promised effect over time the local population began galvanizing a strong sense of nationalism with each other. A severe disconnect eventually existed between the ambitions and motives of the colonized and colonizing nations.

An arrangement had been secretly devised that defined territorial claims between Spain and France to split colonial power over Morocco with France claiming protection over the south while Spain influenced the North. Disdain particularly for the Spanish influence produced civilian and government tension. France succeeded in extending its territorial claim through series’ of negotiations until it held predominate influence from the southern mountainous regions near Marrakesh to Fez just below Casablanca.

The far north parts western deserts still were being claimed by Spain. Issues though in maintaining French control over Algeria which was viewed as the more invested between the two prompted France to exit Morocco and shortly led to the signing of a peace treaty in 1956 that granted it’s independence.

That left Spain with a minor stake in Morocco as the treaty restored nearly all territory back to the country’s government. Still today the northern port town of Ceuta is a territory of Spain, primarily to ensure stable jurisdiction for guaranteed passage into the Mediterranean Sea. After the death of president Muhammad V who ruled from 1927 to 1961 during the heat of the struggles with the foreign powers, King Hassan II was named ruler and a constitutional monarchy was formed. As have claimed many Arab Kings, King Hassan II purported to be a descendant of Ali the third generation of prophet Mohammad.

Notwithstanding some struggles of strife within the country, Morocco is said to have experienced a reasonable period of domestic popularity under the rule under Hassan II. Several assassination attempts though were averted. One occurred in the ministerial palace as carried out by several commanders of the government‘s military. The other was an unsuccessful attempt by one of the king's entrusted council members allegedly orchestrating a surface to air missile assault on the King's aircraft in 1972 forcing an emergency landing. The King’s power also held during protests that occurred in the mid 1960's over price control and problems in unemployment.

Opposition instigated over disagreement of Hassan II appointments to parliament was led by the Istiqial party. Istiqial remains today as one the country's most popular parties while their also exist far left leaning groups as well as conservative Islamic parties like Al Abdl Wal Ihsan(Justice and Charity).

Through frequent efforts during the years of Hassan's rule before dying in 1999, he appeared intent on making feasible inroads for a democracy to at some pint be put into place. In 1998 as a popular political gesture and amidst fierce opposition from the left and religous movements, he named a Prime Minister Youseau Al, who was a member of the widely supported political party USFB. Many of the cabinet posts were chosen by King Hassan however which the opposition begrudgingly viewed as a fraudulent efforts to implement real change.

His successor son Muhammad IX wasn’t groomed for the position and has done little to stem the tide of the grievances of socio-economic disparity for many of the people. Mild progressive legislation has been passed supporting the equality rights of women who represent at least 10% of the elected Parliament.

The conditions though continue to illustrate a leadership that intedects tight control on the media and the assistance programs that many of the people depend in living their lives. From a somewhat naïve opinion as an outsider, one might view Morocco simply as a picturesque nation set among of a diverse geography with rich history. Traveling there is common for many Europeans but not so for Americans. As safety concerns should be considered for travel into nearly all current Arab nations the rate of violence and endangering of tourists is far lowers than that of countries such as Egypt and Libya.