Libyan leader Moammar Gadaffi defended his 30-year-old unique system of rule based on grass-roots government on Wednesday, saying Western-style democracy was not appropriate for Africa.
”All people must manage their country according to the cultural and social environment,” Gadaffi said in a speech in the town of Sebha, 600km south of Tripoli.
”The peoples of Africa live in tribes and every tribe has a leader, so the system of elections and political parties suits Europe and America more than it does Africa.”
Gadaffi, who is in his mid-sixties, seized power in the North African country in a coup in 1969. In 1977 he proclaimed popular rule to try to create the perfect society in line with the teachings of his Green Book, which combines aspects of socialism, Islam and pan-Arabism.
The Arab world’s longest-serving leader, Gadaffi holds no official post but is called Leader of the Revolution. Political analysts say he appears secure atop a centuries-old network of family and tribal-based loyalties.
On Friday Libya is due to celebrate the anniversary of his Jamahiriyah, or state of the masses, based on a system of town hall meetings in which political parties are banned. Critics call it a dictatorship.
Supporters say the system guarantees stability and gives people a direct say in ruling themselves, unlike Western democracy which Gadaffi condemns as the dictatorship of the 51%.
Western politics ‘a lottery’
On Wednesday Gadaffi described Western politics as a lottery and said the United Nations contained 190 leaders who were not chosen by the people but still oversaw six billion lives.
”They got into power through corruption,” he said. ”Politics for them, of course, involves buying votes in elections.”
Gadaffi abolished big private enterprises and forbade Libyans to employ one another, explaining it was exploitative.
In recent years he has said Libya should build companies, invest and liberalise the economy to make its citizens rich and reduce the country’s reliance on foreigners.
In his speech, which was punctuated by long pauses, Gadaffi returned to his traditional themes.
”Economic crisis is crushing most societies and the big fortunes are dominated by a very narrow social class,” he said.
”Why do you criticise the theory of socialism or communism if all the people can benefit from the country’s wealth? The fortune of every country belongs solely to the people.”
Libya’s oil and gas-reliant economy is struggling to recover from almost two decades of economic sanctions, held back by inefficiency and corruption which Gadaffi himself has criticised.
Gadaffi’s speech came at the start of a public debate on democracy which included United States political scientist Benjamin Barber and British sociologist Anthony Giddens. – Reuters