Libya's progress towards democracy Research Paper

Libya's progress towards democracy - Research Paper Example Idris was a traditional emperor leader who had no concern for any self-governing principles and during his reign, Libya was mostly an impoverished nation with a life financial system; the country only relied on revenues from both the US and British airbases and international aid until 1959 when oil reserves were discovered (â€Å"History of Libya†). Idris was deposed in a bloodless coup that was led by the then 27 year old Muammar al-Gadhafi while away on a visit to Turkey; Gadhafi then immediately became commander-in-chief of the Libyan armed forces and Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council which was the new force governing Libya. Since 1979, Libya was predominantly a military dictatorship with Gadhafi earning a global distinction as one of the world’s most eccentric and unpredictable dictators (History World). Gadhafi’s political philosophy was multifaceted, deriving from Islam, socialism, and Arab nationalism as combined in his personal manifesto, the Green Book. Although the country was renamed as the People’s Socialist Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to mean that it was governance through the masses, it remained a personal rule by a single individual, Muammar al-Gadhafi. This paper will investigate whether Libya has made any recent progress towards democracy, especially after Gadhafi’s regime was brought to an end and whether the country has any history of democratic or liberal institutions. Since Muammar Qaddafi was ousted from power, Libya had been characterized by rough-and-tumble politics; this was attributed to the country’s inexperience given that it had been under a dictatorship regime for over four decades. Critics initially argued that given the lack of a government with a full democratic charge over issues in the country, Libya had very little if any hope of transitioning into a democracy; instead, Libya could only but hope for continued drift due to the lack of a cabinet that could assume sovereign author ity over security, finance and strategic development. However, if the recent trend is anything to go by, then Libya has great potential of transforming into democratic governance after four decades of civilian subjugation under Gadhafi’s Military dictatorship. Libya’s vibrant oil industry, increasing stability, and a strong public stand against violence are strong indicators of the countries commitment towards the establishment of a democratic government and democratic institutions (Thorne). In this respect, Libya has indeed witnessed a commendable progress in the move towards democracy, regardless of the myriad skepticism and the numerous constraints inherent in the country. Nevertheless, after a whooping four decades of a one man’s rule regime in Libya, it is not expected that the country would transform to a democracy in just over a fortnight, especially given the numerous constraints to democracy such as the inexistence of democratic institutions. However, t hough slow-paced, democracy is in the offing; all indicators show that there has been a concerted effort from various stakeholders to help the country transform to a Democracy. The remarkable progress towards democracy in Libya in the recent past has been witnessed especially on the political front after Muammar Gadhafi was ousted from power (â€Å"Libya: Despite everything†). In this respect, the newly elected General National Congress, a prototype parliament that came in place

Language and Literacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Language and Literacy - Essay Example Mellix, on the other hand, explains how it felt uncomfortable writing in Standard English arguing that she could not express her true self. She claims that after â€Å"reading, practicing, writing, rewriting, and experimenting,† she learned that â€Å"one can, through writing, bring out new lives, each with new complexities, possibilities, and difficulties. Remarkably, I continually write and give birth to myself† (Mellix 111). Mellix found out that she was able to reinvent herself through writing. Coincidentally, Malcolm X also had a similar experience while in prison. Through reading and enhancing his knowledge of Standard English, he saw his situation and himself differently. â€Å" I had increasingly become frustrated because of being unable to express my thoughts in the letters I wrote to a public figure† (Malcolm 99). While Malcolm learned and became comfortable using Standard English through copying out of the dictionary and reading, Barbara Mellix learned and became comfortable with Standard English through revising and writing. It is certain that all these authors, Malcolm, Mellix, and Gloria, viewed themselves differently and got an identity as a result of language. Learning to use Standard language enabled Mellix and Malcolm discover new possibilities. Both Douglass and Baca were illiterate; they were not able to read or write. They both learn how to read and write by employing certain unconventional strategies and without the help of a regular teacher. â€Å"In learning how to read and write, I employed various stratagems. I had no regular teacher† (Douglass 5). The authors felt less empowered and humiliated simply because of they not able to read or write and as such could not express themselves. â€Å"There was nothing more humiliating than not being able to express one’s self†¦I felt so intimidated, vulnerable, scorned and ridiculed† (Baca 4).