Since Qaddafi’s ousting in 2011, Libya has been beset by instability and conflict. To understand the tumultuous state of the country today, one must look to its past. With great clarity and precision, renowned regional expert Ronald Bruce St John examines Libya’s long struggle to establish its political and economic identity amidst the interference of external actors keen to exploit the country’s strategic importance.
This authoritative history spans the time of the early Greek settlements, colonization by Mussolini’s Italy, Qaddafi’s four decades of rule and the internal rivalries that have dominated the country in the aftermath of the Arab Spring and the colonel’s ousting. Essential reading for those seeking a greater understanding of this complex North African state, Libya: From Colony to Revolution is an insightful history, which is rich in detail and analysis.
Table of Contents:
Preface to Third Edition
Preface to Second Edition
Preface to First Edition
Maps and Illustrations
Note on Transliteration
Select Chronology of Libyan History
1 Early History
Historical Setting
Phoenician Settlements in Tripolitania
Greek Influence in Cyrenaica
Roman Influence in Libya
Arab Invasions
Fatimids (910–1171)
Hilalian Invasion
Almoravids, Almohads, and Hafsids in Tripolitania
Medieval Cyrenaica and Fezzan
Lasting Impressions
2 Ottoman Occupation, 1551–1911
First Ottoman Occupation (1551–1711)
Karamanli Dynasty (1711–1835)
Barbary Wars
Second Ottoman Occupation (1835–1911)
Sanusi Order
Foreign Schemes and Initiatives
Young Turk Revolution
Transformation
3 Italian Colonial Era, 1911–43
Misplaced Optimism
Early Resistance and Collaboration
Nascent Political Movements
Tripoli Republic, 1918–22
Riconquista, 1923–32
Italian Colonial Policy
Jewish Community
Impact of Italian Occupation
4 Struggle for Independence, 1943–51
Liberation and Occupation
Wartime Discussions
Great Power Gridlock
Regional and Domestic Politics Collide
American Strategic Interests
United Nations Decides
Arab Nationalism, Aid, and Base Rights
Conflicting Interests
5 United Kingdom of Libya, 1951–69
Socioeconomic Inheritance
Palace System of Power
Alliance Politics
Western Dependence
Impact of Oil
National Identity
Rise of Arab Nationalism
Monarchy in Perspective
The End
6 One September Revolution, 1969–73
Young Revolutionaries
Great Power Denouement
Primacy of Oil
Socioeconomic Change
Freedom, Nationalism, and Unity
Popular Revolution
Third Universal Theory
7 Revolution on the Move, 1973–86
The Green Book
Direct Popular Authority
Rush to Socialism
Hydrocarbon Policy
Confrontation with the West
Arab Disunity
Third Circle
Declining Influence Abroad
Confined to the Libyan Playhouse
8 Consolidation and Reform, 1986–98
Revolution within the Revolution
Great Green Charter on Human Rights in the Era of the Masses
Weapons of Mass Destruction
Lockerbie
European Relations
Status Quo in Africa
Turn to the Maghrib
Rule of International Law
Mounting Opposition
9 Libya Resurgent, 1998–2007
Out of Africa
Looking East and West
European Relations
War on Terror
Economic Reform
Hydrocarbons, the Exception
Social Conditions
Political Developments
Qaddafi’s Libya
10 A New Day Dawns, 2008–11
Socioeconomic Reform
Political Reform
Human Rights
Africa
Europe
United States
Arab Spring
February 17 Revolution
Military Events
Political Developments
End of the Beginning
11 Post-Qaddafi Libya
General National Congress Elections
Islamists Ascendant
Constitutional Drafting Process
Descent into Chaos
Libyan Political Agreement
Time for a Reset
Europe
United States
Arab World
Africa
Who Lost Libya?
Further Reading
Notes
Index
About the Author :
Ronald Bruce St John is an independent scholar who has appeared on Al Jazeera, BBC World Service, CNN News and in The New York Times, amongst other publications and outlets. He has also advised a number of Fortune 500 companies and the US government. He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Review :
‘An excellent political history of Libya…engaging.’
‘Of all the books on Libya, Bruce St John’s is easily the most comprehensive and approachable.’
‘A timely and necessary book…fluid in its writing and measured in its judgements.’
‘Excellent… accessible, informative and presented with clarity… You won't find a much better overview of Libya than this.’
‘An excellent general overview, accessible, informative and presented with clarity… Until the secret archives in Tripoli have been raked over, you won’t find a much better overview of Libya than this.’
‘An excellent and concise history of this complex country.’
‘Ronald Bruce St John is a committed scholar of Libya…his book offers the measured and confident tone of someone deeply familiar with the subject matter.’
‘An excellent account of Libya’s often contentious history: clear, concise, accurate and balanced. It will be the best general work on the country available for the foreseeable future, very useful to anyone interested in the country.’
‘For the general reader as well as for those with a good level of knowledge of Libya, there is perhaps no one better situated to...explain the country’s current and future dilemmas than Ronald Bruce St John…[an] admirable history.’
‘Rich in historical detail...containing rare insights into Libyan leader Qaddafi’s thinking, particularly on foreign affairs. Indispensable for every serious student of Libya or North Africa.’
‘An outstanding book...the best short history of Libya. St John has made us accustomed to first-rate analyses of Libya; this book is no exception and no students of Libya, from undergraduates to experts, could afford not to have it on their shelves.’
