ABSTRACT
Morocco has become a favorite vacation spot for tourists. Its Mediterranean beaches and fabled cities like Casablanca and Marrakech are magnets for foreign visitors who are drawn to images of a romantic world: the labyrinthine alleys of the old souqs, the High Atlas Mountains, and Morocco's beaches. After World War II, agitation for Moroccan independence began, both in Morocco and among Moroccan exiles in France. During the early 1950s, the United States negotiated with France to use airfields in Morocco for strategic nuclear bomber bases. The foundations of the Moroccan political system are deeply rooted in an authoritarian tradition, reinforced by both rituals and genuine political power that lies primarily within the military. Reforms have only partially met popular expectations, and civil society has grown in response to disillusion over the slow pace of transformation. Agriculture is an important component of Morocco's economy, with the relatively fertile north contributing much of the crops and meat.
