Jordan Peterson: Morocco Is a Democratic Exception in the Islamic World

Marrakech – Canadian thinker Jordan Peterson has argued that much of the Muslim-majority world remains trapped in what he bluntly describes as “authoritarian hellholes,” estimating that around 40 of roughly 50 such states lack any meaningful democratic practice.

Speaking on a year-old episode of Piers Morgan Uncensored that has recently been widely reshared on social media, Peterson described the broader political landscape as marked by institutional stagnation, instability, and constrained political participation.

Within this regional context, Peterson pointed to Morocco as a notable exception, alongside Indonesia and Turkey. Crucially, Peterson’s assessment is far from the simplistic idea that a Western outsider’s praise automatically confers legitimacy.

Rather, his remarks were framed as an analytical reading of institutional trajectories, reform paths, and governance outcomes – grounded in comparative political observation rather than cultural endorsement or ideological alignment.

These cases demonstrate the Islamic world is not politically monolithic. Morocco’s experience, in particular, suggests that incremental reform, institutional continuity, and historical awareness can sustain a viable democratic trajectory even within complex regional environments.

🚨جوردان بيترسون لبيرس مورغان: المغرب استثناء ديمقراطي وسط 40 “جحيما استبداديا. خلال استضافته في برنامج “Piers Morgan Uncensored”، قدم المفكر الكندي الشهير جوردان بيترسون قراءة سوداوية لواقع الأنظمة السياسية في العالم الإسلامي، مشيرا إلى أن 40 من أصل 50 دولة ذات أغلبية مسلمة تعد… pic.twitter.com/t9Kp1UJUZy — Leɛyun 🇲🇦👑♥️🌹 (@5ersito_) February 1, 2026

Alone among all Arab countries, Morocco’s 2011 protests led to a peaceful, democratic election of an I