How was LIbya before the control of Muammar Al qaddafi?

Answer 1

Not very good. The discovery of oil in 1950 changed things for the better, though - at least economically.

Qaddafi's ideal was to propel Libya's role as the petroleum equivalent of a banana republic to a modern utopian state, first by deposing King Idris I and instituting a new government composed of himself and his followers.

The paradox of many dictatorships is that absolute power often improves general conditions as dictators begin to fashion the country as a monument to themselves.

This could be seen as a testimony to the massive egos of such leaders, who would prefer to set an example of their superiority for all the world to see.

While the modern West is less familiar with this type of government, it has been the most common throughout history. Whether it is a monarchy, as pre-Qaddafi Libya had been, or a dictatorship, it is still essentially an autocracy.

Qaddafi overthrew the Libyan monarchy to institute utopian reforms that included nationalization of the oil industry. While his government was to the "left" of other socialist regimes, it was to the right of a totalitarian regime like Castro's Cuba.

Initially, Qaddafi assumed the role of liberator and expediter of reform, to replace a monarchy he viewed as a self-serving lackey to the West.

In fact, there are parallels between the rise of Qaddafi and the birth of our country, except that Washington refused to be crowned King in favor of an executive position at the helm of a representative form of government, an arrangement that has proved to be untidy but more effective in the long term than dictatorship.

The wheels came off when Qaddafi continued to pursue and eliminate his enemies (a common failure of dictatorships), and to attempt to export revolution to neighboring countries, eventually forcing him to square off against the West, primarily the US. The resulting bad publicity, combined with economic sanctions by the Reagan administration, and falling oil prices, led to degraded conditions in Qaddafi's Libya.

In a nutshell, the guy's made quite a comeback since then. Returning to his idealistic roots, he has worked to condemn terrorism and promote peace in the Middle East, at least ostensibly so. Many observers are not convinced that his efforts are for any other reason than to improve Libya's economy by restoring normal relations with the West.

While Qaddafi has been villainized for military confrontations and dictatorial style, his mixed legacy will be linked as well to positive reforms and the economic advantages of managing Libya's oil resources for the benefit of his people.

The final word on Libya's progress will depend on how smooth the eventual transition is to a post-Qaddafi regime.

Answer 2

Libya was not known before Muammar Khaddafi but when he assumed power, he placed Libya on the world map prompting the US to monitor Libya until now.