Contribution à l'étude de l'endettement de la colonisation agricole au Maroc

The rural policy in Morocco, after Lyautey's dëparture, consisted in bringing settlers, most of whom lacked agricultural experience and financial means. However, these settlers actually found great credit facilities with their Mutual Societies — considerably supported by the Government — as well as with traders. Two reasons account for the slackening of colonization after the early thirties : falling priées and little demand. The Great Depression reveals the importance of the settler's debt. Between 1930 and 1934, the settlers, enfeebled as they were by their inner dissensions, had to face harrying from their creditors, the traders» The latter, through constant pressure upon the Government, managed to have their debts settled by means of Treasury loans. From 1934 onwards, the settlers acted jointly and in a more demanding way, and the traders were ready to help them. The pressure from both sides induced the Government to revise their policy concerning the settlers' debts, naturally at the expense of the tax-payers. The relationship between traders and settlers needs to be replaced in the general context of the defence of their privileges, as they both had to face the simultaneous rise of Moroccan nationalism and of its potential ally : the French Left.The rural policy in Morocco, after Lyautey's dëparture, consisted in bringing settlers, most of whom lacked agricultural experience and financial means. However, these settlers actually found great credit facilities with their Mutual Societies — considerably supported by the Government — as well as with traders. Two reasons account for the slackening of colonization after the early thirties : falling priées and little demand. The Great Depression reveals the importance of the settler's debt. Between 1930 and 1934, the settlers, enfeebled as they were by their inner dissensions, had to face harrying from their creditors, the traders» The latter, through constant pressure upon the Government, managed to have their debts settled by means of Treasury loans. From 1934 onwards, the settlers acted jointly and in a more demanding way, and the traders were ready to help them. The pressure from both sides induced the Government to revise their policy concerning the settlers' debts, naturally at the expense of the tax-payers. The relationship between traders and settlers needs to be replaced in the general context of the defence of their privileges, as they both had to face the simultaneous rise of Moroccan nationalism and of its potential ally : the French Left.Oved Georges. Contribution à l'étude de l'endettement de la colonisation agricole au Maroc. In: Revue française d'histoire d'outre-mer, tome 63, n°232-233, 3e et 4e trimestres 1976. L'Afrique et la crise de 1930 (1924-1938) sous la direction de Catherine Coquery-Vidrovitch . pp. 492-505