12.

januar 2012

[COMPARATIVE POLITICS LIBYA COURSE NO.9069701]

1. Give a brief account for the political system in Libya before the uprising. What were the main characteristics of the Libyan political system? 2. Give a brief assessment of the causes of the apparent instability of the political system in Libya. What are the main challenges the Libyan Political system is facing right now? 3. Based on the annexes, please explore the conditions for democracy in Libya. 4. Discuss what kind of changes in the Libyan political system that would be needed to move Libya closer to a liberal democracy. Task I Addressing the first question of the assignment where I have to give a brief account for the political system in Libya before the uprising. What were the main characteristics of the Libyan political system?

Being brief will be focusing on the period in short terms from the bloody military coup by Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi in 1969 until the Arab uprising also known as the Arab spring. The Libyan political system under Qaddafis rule was without a constitution which he had abolished in when I came to power the constitution was replaced by The Green Book a set of rules rather than a constitution made by Qaddafi. The Green Book is Qaddafis manifesto on topics surrounding economic, social and political issues and it rejects a modern liberal democracy and replaces it with Jamahiriyah translated roughly means (State of the Masses) a word made up by Qaddafi to refer to the state of Libya and is people and its way of life.

The main characteristics of the Libyan political system is that the leader Qaddafi and his circle of trusted is the rulers of a authoritarian autocratic dictatorial state whit no political functioning institutions such as police, justice court, social organizations etc. The Libya of Qaddafi was with a oppressed, poor civil society with a few wealthy distributing the countrys vast amount of Oil resources among themselves. Task II

Addressing the second question where Ill give a brief assessment of the causes of the apparent
instability of the political system in Libya. What are the main challenges the Libyan Political system is facing right now? There are several causes to the instability in the political system of Libya namely the adoption of a political system, distribution of power, the infrastructure of the country, the history of Libya and the civil situation. When concentrating on the political system one must take into account that country has been under Qaddafis rule for 40 years and know nothing about governance1. So the liberators of Libya face enormous problems regarding economic, social and political institutions or the implementation of a working electoral system in order to build institutions such as parliament, justice court, councils and other political systems if
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Will Democracy Prevail In Libya -- The Next 48 Hours Are Crucial

BA European Studies - Southern Danish University - Snderborg | Written by Student 317047

12. januar 2012

[COMPARATIVE POLITICS LIBYA COURSE NO.9069701]

Libya decides to have a system somewhat similar to a liberal democracy. As said the distribution of power among the four candidate parties NFSL, MBL, NTC and The Democratic Party*2 representing around 140 Tribes across the 6.6million inhabitants. This distribution of power can result in conflict between the tribes because of different interest regarding per se Oil, governance, landownership and capital and because many of the Liberian freedom fighters still carries weapons a conflict is no uncertain. Moreover issues of infrastructure, historical issues and civil issues can trouble the political process. The infrastructure of Libya is deprived as in any other country that has been to war, the roads, hospitals and schools etc are damaged and The different party leaders of Libya has to acknowledge each other and lay aside old disputes between e.g. the area of Tripolitania and the area of Cyrenaica3 be it disputes of which is Capital of Libya Tripoli or Banghazi or be it disputes between Salifists and Sufi Muslims4 etc. Furthermore the challenges of the civil situation in Libya where many civilians suffer from post-war injuries and many are treated in NATO countries because the hospitals I Libya cant cope with the many severe injuries. As mentioned the civil or former freedom fighter that refuses to lay down their weapons until an election is held or an elected government controls the country compose a real treat to the fragile postwar Libya. Numbers indicates that there are around 150.000 young men armed and trying to find a job or something to do now that theyve won the battle for freedom but only around 40.000 of them are needed in the police force or the army and this creates a real possibility for conflict or even civil war. Task III Focusing on the third question of the assignment I will be based on the annexes, exploring the conditions for democracy in Libya. In order for Libya to gain a working democracy there are some important factors that plays a key role in understanding and applying a democracy. First of all Ill be viewing some political conditions of Libya both positive and negative in order to gain an overall analysis of the Liberian situation. Moreover Ill be looking at some social and economic conditions in the same manner as above to further gain an overall analysis of the conditions required for democracy in Libya. Political conditions: After being under the influence of dictatorship in 40years the knowledge and tradition of political integration seems far away. First of all Libya need to acknowledge some basic western notions regarding democratic institutions and processes and some of the first steps are made with The National Transitional Council (NTC) appointing a transition government with Mustafa Abdel Jalil as head chairman which produced a roadmap to gain a elected assemble within eight months5. But the fragile steps of early democratic governance requires much more for instance institutions that secure equality6 before the law and free elections and the separation of power, judicial body, legislative body and a executive body which can take form in many ways per se presidential or parliament systems, one chamber ore two chamber systems or electoral systems that has multiparty or two-party representation or electoral bodys with semi-proportional, proportional or majoritarian systems.
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Ill be addressing the four candidates later on in my assignment Libya's revolution has triumphed, but will democracy 4 Will Democracy Prevail In Libya -- The Next 48 Hours Are Crucial 5 Democracy for Libya in 20 months
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Democracy in Libya? Don't hold your breath

BA European Studies - Southern Danish University - Snderborg | Written by Student 317047

12. januar 2012

[COMPARATIVE POLITICS LIBYA COURSE NO.9069701]

All these system and ways of governance has to be taken into account in order to meet the expectations of a real democracy and in order to reassure a healthy democratic state. Moreover Libya has to want to reach out to western democracies for help and even may have to reach out to nearest democracy the black sheep of the Arab world Israel in order to establish a working democracy. Some positive conditions has been met because the NTC have managed to form committees ensuring traffic control, cleaning streets, collection of weapons and access to water and electricity.7furthermore the NTC made a declaration where Libya is established as a country where Islam is the religion and Shariah is the legislation but it allows the freedom to practice religious rituals. And Arabic is the official language and moreover the state guarantees the freedom of speech so to say alongside the freedom of research, communication, press and media.8 As mentioned earlier on there are four different parties in Libya which are represented by the NFSL, MBL, NTC and The Democratic Party. The NTC being the liberators of Libya also called the Churchill of Libya because it works in wartime but not in peacetime9and is not interesting in a future context unless the NTC undertake modification suiting a democratic party. The NFSL has a practical and methodical vision of democratic reconstruction for the pre-constitutional phase until the phase of the Constituent of Founding Assembly or Parliament, with a high premium placed on legality, popular mandate, pluralist power-sharing, economic reconstruction through sustainable development, reconciliation and transitional justice10. The Democratic Party, formerly known as the Libyan Freedom and Democracy Campaign, was founded in mid-July 2011 and is the newest civic body to enter the political fray. Its 17-point political manifesto is drenched in liberalism - both political and economic. It talks of the "natural rights of men" and "law as the expression of the public will" - but it is short on practical ideas despite favouring a big UN role during the transitional phase and Western democratic mentoring011. Whereas The Muslim Brotherhood Libya (MBL), like existing currents in Egypt and Tunisia, will recruit well. Like the NFSL, the MBL foresees transition through the founding of a Transitional National Congress and a Transitional National Charter mostly to organise, with international and Arab assistance, elections for a transitional parliament and a transitional administration. It upholds a multi-partyism, social justice, Arab and Islamic identity as well as national solidarity.12 Clearly the representation of several parties and the wish for democratic constitutions and institutions are all positive political conditions. Social conditions: Social conditions may be the most important player in the conditions of gaining democracy in Libya because if the people of Libya doesnt fell or act democratic or support the political conditions of a democracy all is wasted. The people have to want to vote and the people must learn that culture revolves around mutual trust to one another and the people has to respect the free press and the freedom of speech. Moreover the
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Why democracy has a good chance in Libya Heritage, Democracy and Development in Libya 9 Libya's new harvest: the seeds of democracy 10 Heritage, Democracy and Development in Libya 17 11 Ibid 12 Ibid

BA European Studies - Southern Danish University - Snderborg | Written by Student 317047

12. januar 2012

[COMPARATIVE POLITICS LIBYA COURSE NO.9069701]

people of Libya has to acknowledge each others differences even Salifists and Sufi Muslims and the different areas Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, Fezza has to work together. The western make not take mentality has to be integrated alongside renunciation of the envy mentality13. Furthermore and most important the Liberians has to unite and this can be difficult because of 40years Qaddfis notion of Jamahiriyah statelessness. But the Liberians have a vast cultural heritage14 that can in many ways help in gain a sense of nationality in order to unite and become one democratic nation. One of the biggest ways of uniting is a common history and a common enemy and here the Liberians have a common enemy in recent history and the means to write their common history. Economic conditions: Taking on the economic condition of Libya it is clear that the figures speak for themselves being among the top 20 Oil distributers of the world but only 6.6million inhabitants make the natural resource oil of huge importance. Moreover Libya sits on the worlds ninth largest depot of Oil 41.5 billion barrels. The oil revenue can pay for Libyas rebuilding and most certain if distributed right ensure a living standard equivalent to that of similar oil states like Kuwait, Qatar etc. If the restoration of Libya and its infrastructure alongside the cultural heritage prevails. There is also a prospect in tourism like Egypt. Furthermore 40years without any or a small private sector affects the economic as well but as said if oil money is distributed to rebuilding the country and its infrastructure capital in form of business and investment are likely to settle in Libya. Nevertheless it is important that the oil revenue flows are transparent and ends up in the right pockets and not at yet another Qaddfi / tribal leader. Futhermore Libya needs to be aware of the Oil curse oil leading to authoritarian regimes. Qaddafi came to power in a 1969 military coup. Then he nationalized Liberian oil which gave him revenue control. Revenue helps autocrats stay in power in three ways. First buy off citizens with lower taxes or gifts food, infrastructure, cash. Second keep the oil revenue secret so citizens have no knowledge of how much revenue goes to theft, corruption and government incompetence. Tertiary oil revenue allows autocrats to buy the loyalty of the armed forces. Ending the oil curse target consumption (US, China). Oil firms on stock exchange.15

Task II Finally Ill be discussing in what kind of changes in the Libyan political system that would be needed to move Libya closer to a liberal democracy. Already in progress are the goals of the transition ruling body NTC which made a roadmap to a free elected government. Moreover the NTC should turn over power as soon as possible in order not to create a power vacuum16. As mentioned a clear division of power is of tremendous importance and if the idea of an Islamic state with religion or Sharia as the judicial body. This can become a problem because all western countries have a clear divided state and church. Moreover the election has to be supervised and enforced by a separated institution so that the election is transparent and democratic so trust echoes in all of Libyas corners so that the public doesnt resolve to civil war because of a fixed election. But the democratic process of western countries is an ongoing process and the democracy wasnt created over a few years so the forth cast of a liberal democratic Libya is a fragile dream that has to overcome many treats such as rival tribes fighting for oil, free democratic institution etc.

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Democracy in Libya? Don't hold your breath Heritage, Democracy and Development in Libya 15 Will Oil Drown the Arab Spring? 16 Forging a democracy from Libya's Jamahiriya

BA European Studies - Southern Danish University - Snderborg | Written by Student 317047

12. januar 2012

[COMPARATIVE POLITICS LIBYA COURSE NO.9069701]

All these above mentioned important point needs to be dealt with in close collaboration with the western democracies in order for Libya to prevail as a democratic country.

BA European Studies - Southern Danish University - Snderborg | Written by Student 317047