Makhzen
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Makhzen (Arabic: مخزِن) is a Moroccan Arabic term for the governing elite in Morocco, centered around the king and consisting of royal notables, businessmen, wealthy landowners, tribal leaders, top-ranking military personnel, security service bosses, and other well-connected members of the establishment. Today, this term carries a heavy negative charge which means the absence of democracy and freedom and the absolute rule of dictatorship, the state or even corruption.[citation needed] The term is used in Moroccan independent newspapers to describe or condemn the lack of democracy and the human rights abuses committed by state police or officials.[citation needed]
[edit] Etymology
The word "makhzen" literally means "warehouse" but has long been used in Moroccan Arabic to refer to the elite. It is likely a metonymy related to taxes, which the Makhzen used to collect; the term may also refer to the state, but this usage is increasingly rare. Recently, the term is also being used to describe the Police.
The word has also been adopted into French and Italian as magasin and magazzino respectively. It came into the English language from Middle French as magazine, originally referring to a "storehouse" for ammunition and later to publications.
[edit] Makhzen in Morocco
The term often carries a derogatory connotation, as it is associated with an archaic and hermetic mode of governing, which resists democracy[citation needed]. While the contours of the Makhzen are vague, the government itself is generally not considered part of it. The Makhzen essentially co-opts its members by using its own networks. Sometimes inclusion in the Makhzen is even hereditary because of nepotism[citation needed].
Although considered archaic and backward, many believe that the Makhzen has also been a factor of stability in Morocco, because its roots are deeply connected to Moroccan society. It has served as very sophisticated mean of distributing wealth and power by using clientelism and in tying Moroccan society to the throne. It has also managed to co-opt many of its opponents which often leads to discrediting them.
By its way of governing, consisting in distributing money, land, luxury cars, privileges, authorizations in reglemented economic areas like sand extraction pits or fishing and transportation authorizations, to buy the allegiance of its members or to acquire new ones; Makhzen has been accused of being responsible of the widespread corruption in Morocco.
With an ongoing democratisation process taking place in Morocco, the Makhzen is now often considered as a barrier to democracy[citation needed]. The dilemma for Morocco being to smoothly evolve to more democracy while not destroying what is considered an important factor of stability and a pillar of the monarchy, the Makhzen also still holds a lot of power and resists this change. The Makhzen has also been heavily involved in the so called Years of lead[citation needed], hence the critics and ambiguity of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission.
