Muammar Gaddafi joined the military and staged a coup to take control of the Libyan government in 1969. He took over power from King Idris. He followed Arab nationalist rhetoric and adopted socialist-style policies. These ideologies gained him support at the beginning of his rule.
He soon began to show characteristics of corruption and performed human rights abuses. This turned much of the Libyan population against him. Gaddafi reached a rapprochement with Western leaders, and Libya became a major supplier of oil to Europe.
Early life
Muammar Gaddafi was born on 7th June 1942 in Libya. He hailed from the tribal family called the al-Qadhafah. In 1951, Libya gained independence under King Idris. Gaddafi, while growing up, admired Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser. Abdel Nasser was an Egyptian army officer who later served as Prime minister of Egypt.
Gaddafi entered the military college in Benghazi in 1961. He also attended military training in the United Kingdom. He rose through the ranks of the military after he graduated from school. In September 1969, Gaddafi overthrew Idris with the cooperation of a group of young officers. This occurred while King Idris was abroad for medical attention.
Taking control of Libya
After he became the commander in chief of Libya’s ruling body, he quickly set to work. He shut down the American and British military bases in Libya. He also demanded that foreign oil companies in Libya pay more in taxes. Gaddafi replaced the Gregorian calendar with the Islamic one and outlawed alcohol.
In December 1969, Muammar Gaddafi introduced laws criminalizing political dissent. In 1970, He expelled all Italians from Libya. He also elaborated on what he described as a war between Arab nationalism and Western Imperialism. He opposed Israel and expelled all members of the Jewish community from Libya.
In the mid-1970s, Gaddafi published a book known as the “Green Book.” The book summarized his political philosophy. The book breaks down the problems of democracy and capitalism and promotes Gaddafi’s policies as the solution. Gaddafi and his close confidants amassed fortunes in oil revenue, while many citizens lived in poverty. He went ahead to kill anyone who opposed his policies in any way.
International Notoriety
Gaddafi’s method of leadership was eccentric. He considered himself the king of Africa. He dressed in strange costumes and erected a tent to stay in when he traveled abroad. He financed many anti-Western groups around the world. Some of the groups he financed were terror groups. Due to the Gaddafi regime’s links to terrorism, the United Kingdom cut off diplomatic relations with Libya for more than a decade.
Arab Spring
In January 2011, a revolution occurred in Tunisia. This revolution forced out dictator Ben Ali and set off the Arab Spring. The next month, Egyptian ruler Hosni Mubarak was ousted. This provided a morale boost to protesters in many Arab capitals. Despite the resistance, demonstrators took over the streets of Benghazi. Soon, they spread throughout Libya. Gaddafi tried to suppress the demonstrations with force, and the violence escalated.
Death
On October 20, 2011, the news of Gaddafi’s death broke out. He died near his hometown of Sirte, Libya. As news of his death circulated, Libyans celebrated the end of their struggles. But, after the death of Gaddafi, Libya has continued to experience pockets of violence. Various militia groups have struggled for power, and there has been political instability.
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