Revolution in Libya

Barmin examines the political, social, economic, ethnic, ideological, regional and international dimensions of the Libyan Revolution, its internal and external causes and studies the developments, implications and results of this remarkable event. By the time the Libyan revolution erupted in 2011, against the background of the Arab Spring events in Tunisia and Egypt, the Gaddafi regime was running an ineffective oil-based economy that lacked a strong private sector. Economic disenfranchisement of the youth, which became the key demographic driver of the revolution, and unequal distribution of wealth, created fertile ground for revolutionary sentiment to take root. The revolt was accompanied by numerous uncoordinated demands, which highlighted the spontaneous character of the revolution. The author points out that the tribal nature of Libyan society added an extra layer of complexity to the conflict, whereby the tribes co-opted by the Gaddafi regime served as his strongest support base and allowed the regime to hold out for a long period of time. Similarly, the existence of parallel chains of command and elite units that were loyal only to Gaddafi overshadowed the regular armed forces and insulated the regime from an internal military coup but at the same time such a situation weakened the Gaddafi regime.