The Rule of Barbarism
Morocco

The Rule of Barbarism

by Abdellatif Laâbi

Freedom & Resistance Poetry 2012

Summary

Written during his imprisonment for political dissent in Morocco, The Rule of Barbarism is a searing poetic confrontation with oppression, cruelty, and the violence embedded in human society. First published in 1976, this landmark work captures the consciousness of a society trapped between its colonial past and the brutal realities of dictatorship. Through urgent, often unsettling poetry, Abdellatif Laâbi explores the psychological and moral consequences of living under authoritarian power, where fear threatens to destroy both individual freedom and collective hope. Yet his vision extends beyond political condemnation. Laâbi also examines the capacity for barbarism within every human being, questioning how victims of cruelty might resist becoming perpetrators themselves. Anger, despair, tenderness, and compassion coexist throughout the collection, creating a powerful meditation on the struggle to preserve humanity in inhuman conditions. Written from the experience of imprisonment, The Rule of Barbarism transforms personal suffering into a universal appeal for justice, empathy, and liberation.

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Country
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About the author
Abdellatif Laâbi
Abdellatif Laâbi

Abdellatif Laâbi (born 1942) is a Moroccan poet, novelist, translator, and political activist whose work has made him a leading voice in Francophone North African literature. Born in Fez, Morocco, he became involved in the country’s cultural and political movements during the 1960s. In 1966, he co-founded Souffles, an influential literary journal that challenged colonial legacies and advocated radical cultural renewal. The Moroccan authorities banned the journal in 1972, and Laâbi was imprisoned for his political beliefs. He spent eight years in prison, where he endured torture and continued to write. Released in 1980, he later went into exile in France. His writing combines political resistance with reflections on love, memory, spirituality, and human solidarity. Among his many honours, he received the Prix Goncourt de la poésie in 2009 and the Grand Prix de la Francophonie in 2011. His work remains a testament to literature’s power to resist oppression and defend human dignity.

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Details
Published
2012
Author
Abdellatif Laâbi