ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the evolution of social protest in the first half of 2011, and shows that the ascending mobilization phase was 'sparked by international factors and nourished by local groups. It also examines the subsequent April 2011 shift of the country's main intermediate actors, and shows how actions taken by these influential actors explain both the development and the early interruption of the Moroccan informational cascade. The pacification of the Moroccan political sphere was the result of a long and established strategy of exclusion and co-optation used by the palace since the country's independence. The unexpected Tunisian revolution took both the palace and local militants by surprise. The inclusive nature of the movement was noted by many interviewees who underlined the moderate character of many of its early members, which in turn helped increase the base of incoming supporters.
