Morocco's Journey into the Modern Age: A Critical Reflection on M. G. Arenal’s Dissertation

Abstract

Historians globally tend to follow a common periodization model, especially the traditional tripartite division of history into Ancient, Middle, and Modern periods. This approach, however, often overlooks the unique histories of different regions and carries inherent biases. Mercedes Garcia Arenal, a prominent Spanish historian, adopted this conventional periodization to analyze Morocco’s history, arguing that Morocco transitioned into the Modern Age in a similar way to Western countries. In her work Ahmad al-Mansur: The Beginning of the Modern Age, Arenal supports this view by citing political and economic developments in Morocco during the 15th and 16th centuries, particularly focusing on Morocco’s interactions with Europe. This article critically examines Arenal’s thesis, arguing that her application of Western-centric periodization to Morocco is unconvincing. Morocco did not undergo the transformative changes associated with the Modern Age. Rather, the economic, political, and social structures that characterized the Middle Ages persisted until the establishment of the Protectorate in 1912. Thus, applying the same periodization model to Morocco leads to a distorted understanding of its historical development. Additionally, alternative periodization models proposed by Moroccan historians, such as Houbaida’s, are also found to be insufficient in addressing the underlying issue. While Houbaida presents a different framework, it does not fully overcome the challenges posed by Western periodization models or account for the complexities of Morocco’s history. Given these shortcomings, it is clear that historians must urgently reconsider the periodization of Morocco’s history. A more contextually appropriate model is needed to reflect the region's unique trajectory, one that moves beyond the limitations of traditional Western frameworks and offers a more accurate understanding of Morocco’s historical development.