Moroccan Development Strategies between Institutionalization of Power and Personalization: Review of the New Development Mod

Abstract

The success of development depends on the existence of institutional safeguards that prevent its personalization. However, the concept of the institutional dimension remains ambiguous, as reflected in both academic literature on the relationship between institutions and development, and in reports issued by international organizations. This conceptual vagueness often leads to a reductionist understanding of institutional governance—one that emphasizes good management, efficiency, effectiveness, state capacity, and public trust, while sidelining its political dimensions, particularly democracy and the rule of law. The Moroccan case illustrates this issue clearly: since independence, development initiatives have been closely aligned with the priorities of the monarchy. While the limitations of the current development model are widely acknowledged, the proposed mechanisms and reform ideas have largely fallen short of expectations. Evaluative efforts have largely concentrated on the development model itself, with limited attention paid to the underlying institutional structures. Moreover, proposed alternatives have often decoupled developmental objectives from essential political reforms, particularly democratization and the consolidation of the rule of law.