REBIRTH OF A NATION. THE ORIGINS AND RISE OF MOROCCAN NATIONALISM,
1912-1944. By John P.Halstead '45. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1967. 323 pp. Paperback.$3.50.
John Halstead has written an important and worthwhile analysis of the rise of Moroccan nationalism during the period 1912-1944. The terminal dates are carefully chosen to represent the onset of French pacification and the later formation of the Istiqlal or Independence party. Starting from the premise that "nationalism is a frame of mind, or frames of minds," Halstead distinguishes between the reformist nationalism of the 1930's and the separatist nationalism of the 1940's. His central thesis is that French occupation and colonialism stimulated the development of Moroccan nationalism (although he feels that it was the threat of cultural assimilation rather than overt exploitation which most influenced that nationalism).
In assessing the impact of French influence, the author rightly identifies the tension within the French administration between the elements supporting "repression" and the encouraging "reform." Viewed in terms of effects, the downgrading of Arabic as a national language, the alienation of land and the use of education as "an agent of social equilibrium" must be weighed against the development of a centralized administration, a modern economic infrastructure and the curtailment of dysfunctional elements such as the Berbers. Against this background of colonial ambivalence, Halstead skillfully traces the development of the concentric national organizations of the 1930's, the covert Zawiya and Taifa and the overt, amorphous Kutlat. By the time that the Istiqlal party is formed late in 1943 and the decision made that meaningful reform can no longer be expected under French tutelage, the reader will have developed valuable insights into the dynamics of the movement and the often subtle interplay between the monarchy and such national leaders as Allal al-Fassi.
What is less clear, however, is the precise relationship between politics in Morocco and contemporary events in France and Spain. Also lacking is a penetrating analysis of the meeting between President Roosevelt and the Sultan of Morocco in January 1943, the results of which apparently led the author to conclude that the United States "reneged on Roosevelt's airy promises and threw the nationalists upon the mercy of the resurrected French authorities."
Despite these difficulties, however. Rebirth of a Nation is well worth the attention of anyone seriously interested in the politics of the Maghrib.
As Dartmouth Assistant Professor of Government,Mr. Potholm is a close student ofthe course of independence in former Britishand French colonies, the rise and decline ofparliamentary experiments, and the relationbetween traditional and modern leaderships.
