© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

11/1/1989 - Libya: The Unfinished Revolution, Part Five: Celebrating the Revolution - III by Dirk J. Vandewalle

INSTITUTEOFCURRENTWORLDAFFAIRS DJV Libyan Studies Centre Box Tripoli Libya November LIBYA THE UNFINISHED REVOLUTION PART FIVE CELEBRATING THE REVOLUTION III Mr Peter Martin Institute Current World Affairs Wheelock House West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 Dear Peter Whither Libyan revolution The answer again little subtle would anticipate One obvious observation opposed other Maghrebi countries popular unrest Libya widespread rioting This actual repression Algeria before October riots Tunisia before removal Bourguiba several efficient ruthless dealing potential opposition Qadhafi A crucial element answer question traditional relative which Libyans escape harsher aspects revolution Although several these escape routes difficult revolution intensified economic hardship appeared 1980s there still enough Libyans prefer rather confront regime The revolutionary government sense saved having revolution The Chad economic liberalization recent freedom Libyans travel totally unexpected Libyan regime always taking pulse people The traditional escape routes Libya family tribe Despite Qadhafi attempt administrative social political boundaries across traditional geographical lingering impact family tribe remains important aspect daily Libya A careful Qadhafi inner circle those report reveals addition military careful distribution elites bourgeois families major tribes Libya three provinces persists under Qa dhafi regime Even leader himself forced select security personnel around tribe It worth noting Qadhafi retains substantial measure genuine appeal people anyone spent months Libya would pressed conclude otherwise From Libyan point respect admiration Qadhafi He given Libyans sense respect identity provided housing education After number muhadhafeen dispossessed country decreased rapidly result distributive policies government Most Libyans Dirk Vandewalle North Africa Fellow Institute Current World Affairs until He currently teaching Department Government Dartmouth College Since InstituteofCurrentWorld Affairs theCrane Rogers Foundation hasprovidedlong rmfellowships enable outstanding young adults outside United States write about international areas issues Endowed bythelateCharlesR Crane theInstituteisalsosupportedbycontributionsfromlike mindedindividualsand foundations DJV Celebrating evolution III eaction Odhafi revolutionary speeches The leader voice radio rothers theevo utionmeansWor utionmeansBui dinNandStru periodofslothandpassivity Ath Thawra informed perfectly aware negative aspects their government foreign policy Many simply least remain untouched effects When economic conditions worse 1980s popular opposition Qadhafi foreign internal policies guardedly expressed through Popular Committee system accurately garnered relayed leadership through oiled internal intelligence service contributed M liberalization measures Perhaps major factor retaining support Qadhafi skillful Western feelings reinforced Libyans traditional distrust outsiders The showdown United States above provided Qadhafi stature platform would otherwise In Libya grumblings about regime disappear United Statesis mentioned This takes place circles country leading intellectuals defend passion persuasion their government experiments Libya through since A majority convinced American antagonism overwhelmingly frustration encountered during early nationalist phase Qadhafi regime affected US economic interests country When US Libyan Khweldi Hamidi originalCCmembers celebrations government exploited mutual antagonism political reasons Ame rican administration painted Qadhafi Middle East Libyan government adept exploiting standing young nation kicking shins superpower results disastrous sides interests Libya after twenty years Qadhafi aspects dramatically different country Free Officers encountered staged their revolution In other areas preserved timelessness traditionalism marked country prior It bifurcation perhaps provides future country future marked greater competition declining economic resources If Qadhafi political scene would additional hardship devising political system seems highly unlikely Popular Committee system outlive creator The political experiments 1970s successful Libyan leadership anticipated despit rhetoric contrary Participation popular committee system remains lukewarm although there indications worked several occasions radical AboutPeople sPoweranditsvariousinterpretations thepoliceman isgivingthedrivera ticketfor driving street driver responds By God I drive correctly I People ofwmMuammar Qadfi masters Howcanyoufineme thepeopledon tmakemistakes Thawra proposals Qadhafi These included among others leader shift nation capital Tripoli At generation leadership increasingly insists rational management country resources slowly emerged Many Libyan parlance committed revolutionaries Several privately profess little affection system where difficult economic decisions often vitiated political considerations One clear exampl agriculture where collection severely disrupted least occasions Ministry Agriculture abolished reorganized Researchers reclamation projects often without badly needed information It primacy politics economic considerations first attempted against Qadhafi regime Because dearth information Libya these elite virtually unknown West seasoned Libya watchers would pressed recogn their names faces But slowly permeated country research organizations banking system bureaucracy lesser extent academic institutions Although technocrats periodically removed Libya political economic circumstances 1980s difficult The Qadhafi government simply longer major economic decisions without worrying about their impact financial future country population alike At measure institutionalization taken place The reaction Libyan people announcement Q adhafi resignation leader country slogans posters Freedom Unity Socialism Popular Revolution Libya despite continuous upheavals decades The Popular Committee system Qadhafi preoccupation educating Libyan people produced generation leadership provides quite efficiently running economy Libya foreign diplomatic service after period intense politicization reasserted traditional measure independence The power Revolutionary Guards curtailed Libya starting economic differentiation among population High officers heads municipal committees diplomatic bureaucratic personnel business links military built expensive houses raised questions among population In society where egalitarianism source pride integral revolution Islamic sensibilities significant development All these matters revolution profound Libyan government pretended stultifying Western analysts claimed Above there possibility major upheaval Libyan society The Saraya Hantra Ped Cca Green Square withfestivity ornaments years ahead The fight diminishing economic resources infighting between technocrats reVolutionaries acrimony between younger generation brought nothing economic regime slogans older generation known economic hardship fuels existing tensions At Libya remains deeply conservative country In years Qadhafi increasingly targeted Islamists behavior befitting revolution But Islamists cleverly exploited growing between public subject government rules private behavior Libya Several Qadhafi earlier pronouncements rights women example limited results Some serve country standing achieved responsible positions within secretariats Popular Committee system But majority Libyan women change dramatic Libyan leader wanted situation repeatedly decried Since dissent virtually impossible Islam provided mechanisms express muted communal dissent At Libyan universities number women Islamic dress increased The roads Arabs The leads toward capitulation andshame Therightone istheroadof Freedom andHonor ThePalestini anguerillasaystothe Arableaderwhoisscratchinghishead Iwishyoudidn tIavetothinksolongbefore deciding which dramatically The leadership country Islamic movement still fragmented Qadhafi repeated references speeches indicate least considers threat dealt The Islamic movement Libya articulated potentially powerful opposition Jamahiriyah Many current problems regime faces making For claims uniqueness revolutionary ardor Libyan Jamahiriyah shows remarkable continuity kingdom preceeded During periods political contestation existent King Idris dismissed elections His royal diwan settled matters state without regard popular aspirations On crucial issues Qadhafi small circle advisors traditionally taken similar unilateral sions Both present Libyan leader predecessor shown distrust state machinery forged artificially after World War II became truly unitary exigencies economic development required At Muammar Qadhafi youngest longest ruling leaders Middle East North Africa For better worse Libya enters third decade under leadership There still passion voice there anniversary celebrations voice almost become inaudible 1980s Hedged economic downturn United States boycott forced recall several important internal economic measures coaxed Maghrebi neighbors reasonable behavior Qadhafi practical purposes shadow political firebrand maverick This exclude repeat spectacular dents eventually confrontation West Members close inner circle advisors Tripoli Benghazi Sebha refuse condemn actions West labeled terrorist But Would mistake committed purposely decade essentially political purposes expense other interests North Africa Qadhafi recent rhetoric serious Libyans The revolution Libya quieter subdued leade would acknowledge In passed That revolution institutionalization bureaucratization archenemies charismatic leaders Qadhafi All Dirk Vandewae Received Hanover