Tradition and Modernity: The Water Sector in Morocco during the French Protectorate (1912–1956)

Abstract This article aims to analyse the water policy of the French Protectorate in Morocco (1912–1956). After the proclamation of the protectorate, actions on the part of the new rulers affected both the modern and traditional water sectors. The authorities aimed to regulate water resources to help economic growth and favour the settlers living in the occupied areas. On the management side, they tried to adapt traditional institutions and practices to those of metropolitan France, while respecting tradition to some extent. During the first half of the 20th century, these colonial interventions caused profound changes in the established order, which can still be seen at the heart of water management systems used today in this part of the Maghreb. For the purposes of this article, we have adopted evolutionary and institutional theories and applied a methodology based on historical and anthropological analysis, with contributions from the fields of law, economics and geography.