Libyans not keen on democracy, suggests survey

[hellheaven1987]

Many Libyans prefer strong leadership to democracy despite four decades spent under the rule of Muammar Gaddafi, a national survey suggests.

Just 15% of 2,000 people polled by academics from Benghazi and Oxford universities said democracy should be installed in the next year.

More than 40% backed strong leadership from one person or a group.

However, almost a third of those polled said they would like a democratic government in five years' time.

Despite the majority saying they wanted to see a firm hand in control, 69% also said they believed ordinary citizens should have a say in how Libya develops.

And some 16% of people said they were prepared to resort to violence for political ends.

The researchers say this would mean around 630,000 potential fighters - in addition to the 280,000 people who took up arms against the Gaddafi regime.

Source

Meanwhile, Human Right Watch send another warning about human right abuse in Libya.

Armed militias are threatening the security and stability of Libya, Amnesty International has warned.

The human rights group says at least 12 detainees held by militias have died after being tortured since September.

The report is being released to coincide with the first anniversary on Friday of the revolt that toppled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Last month, the UN said about 8,000 pro-Gaddafi supporters were being held by militia groups.

The interim government has said it is trying to reassert authority, but correspondents say it has largely failed to rein in the groups.

Source

I bet this mean Libyans want an oligarchy government rule them with iron-hands?

[Claudius Gothicus]

Yeah most likely, people believe that democracy will bring bickering and strife therefore they are willing to exchange rights for ''order''.

[Condottiere 40K]

Culture and tradition tend to determine preferred governance.

[Sphere]

Skewed headline. Source showing the full results.

The results show 75% of the Libyan' polled want something other than a single strongman within 5 years. Of that 75% about half want either "Western" or "Libyan" democracy, the other half want some sort of group of people, with "managers and experts" being far and away the most preferred.

Also 75% say their life is better since the revolution.

And as the OP points out 69% of Libyan's polled said they want ordinary people to have a say in how the government is formed. That at it's core is the foundation of democracy.

[Phier]

Skewed headline. Source showing the full results.

The results show 75% of the Libyan' polled want something other than a single strongman within 5 years. Of that 75% about half want either "Western" or "Libyan" democracy, the other half want some sort of group of people, with "managers and experts" being far and away the most preferred.

Also 75% say their life is better since the revolution.

And as the OP points out 69% of Libyan's polled said they want ordinary people to have a say in how the government is formed. That at it's core is the foundation of democracy.

Damn you and your reading. This forum is for agenda only posting!

[Vanoi]

Skewed headline. Source showing the full results.

The results show 75% of the Libyan' polled want something other than a single strongman within 5 years. Of that 75% about half want either "Western" or "Libyan" democracy, the other half want some sort of group of people, with "managers and experts" being far and away the most preferred.

Also 75% say their life is better since the revolution.

And as the OP points out 69% of Libyan's polled said they want ordinary people to have a say in how the government is formed. That at it's core is the foundation of democracy.

+rep Your posts are always very good.

[hellheaven1987]

Skewed headline. Source showing the full results.

The results show 75% of the Libyan' polled want something other than a single strongman within 5 years. Of that 75% about half want either "Western" or "Libyan" democracy, the other half want some sort of group of people, with "managers and experts" being far and away the most preferred.

Also 75% say their life is better since the revolution.

And as the OP points out 69% of Libyan's polled said they want ordinary people to have a say in how the government is formed. That at it's core is the foundation of democracy.

Ordinary Spartan also had a say in their politic, did not make them democracy.

And you forget this one:

When asked “which country could serve as a model for Libya in the coming years,” nearly 38 percent said Libya does not need a model. But of the countries mentioned, more pointed to the non-democratic United Arab Emirates (21.8 percent) than democratic countries such as the United States (4.6 percent), Britain (3.3 percent) and France (3.2 percent).

Apartly the Orthodox professor is right - Libyans know no democracy and their current concept of democracy is wrong.

[Admiral Piett]

Ordinary Spartan also had a say in their politic, did not make them democracy.

And you forget this one:

Apartly the Orthodox professor is right - Libyans know no democracy and their current concept of democracy is wrong.

Sounds more like you're just getting defensive now that the article you posted was deliberately omitting facts and jumping to conclusions based on an agenda rather than presenting the full reality.

[Babur]

Sounds more like you're just getting defensive now that the article you posted was deliberately omitting facts and jumping to conclusions based on an agenda rather than presenting the full reality.

That agenda being that the "Arab Spring" has been inconvenient for certain countries.

[Fluttershy]

"United States (4.6 percent), Britain (3.3 percent) and France (3.2 percent)."

SUCK ON THAT FRANCE AND BRITAIN!

[nonessential comment]

Full results in German if anyone cares; not that black-and-white all-in-all (this German TV station was involved in that pole): http://www.zdf.de/ZDFmediathek/beitr...einungsumfrage

"Only quote what serves your point. Anything beyond - don't" - Well-known wisdom.

But anyhow: I guess there will be strong Islamist parties in many Arabian countries. Why not? Let them really things and the economy up themselves, and then over time those countries might turn into peoples republics (their people, not the people that people in the West want them to be).

[Exarch]

if they don't want democracy it means you're not bombing them enough

[nonessential comment]

If that's satire it's just fine -- If it's meant literally, it's sick.

In the last few months (IE Libya - no other) the West was surprisingly good with it's bomings.

Taken into account that we (Europe/Germany for me) never gave a about anyone getting tortured, threat-raped, killed or simply their whole life (and economic existence) destroyed, it's odd to see that we are fairly well-accepted.

Anyhow, I'm all for Arabs, Maghrebians/Berbers etc. to things up themselves without unnesseary "we-know-how-to-do-things" from the West. Let them do it their way, and let's have a fair head-on bash, if women's (or minority rights) are concerned.

[Exarch]

If that's satire it's just fine -- If it's meant literally, it's sick.

In the last few months (IE Libya - no other) the West was surprisingly good with it's bomings.

Taken into account that we (Europe/Germany for me) never gave a about anyone getting tortured, threat-raped, killed or simply their whole life (and economic existence) destroyed, it's odd to see that we are fairly well-accepted.

Anyhow, I'm all for Arabs, Maghrebians/Berbers etc. to things up themselves without unnesseary "we-know-how-to-do-things" from the West. Let them do it their way, and let's have a fair head-on bash, if women's (or minority rights) are concerned.

dont u know that bombing a country and destroying their infrastructure with the added bonus of collateral damage is the only way for liberal democracy to gain traction in a country-of course after the necessary decades of civil war and anarchy and rape but i and our righteous governments swear that it's for the Libyans; own good. poor poor brainwashed Libyans who've never known the true taste of freedom will now feel the steely shaft of Western Demoracy Liberating them liberally with good christian values, obviously a hallmark of the superior and noble Atlanticist races.

[John ''True Grit'' Wayne]

Libya needs another Gadaffi.Some people just conned the west into helping their cival war by shouting we want democracy and our stupid media called them the good guys and demonized the other side.Now we are all dupped and torture and false inprisonment and tribal killings are happening in the country.It is hardly stable.Some places need a iron grip on the tribes to keep them under control...Next time we see the v for victory sign propaganda from Al Quida infiltrated mobs with guns who hate the west pretending to like us so we give them air support think again...

[Heathen Hammer]

Source

Meanwhile, Human Right Watch send another warning about human right abuse in Libya.



Source

I bet this mean Libyans want an oligarchy government rule them with iron-hands?

But its a good kind of human rights abuse, since oil there is already liberated and enjoying freedom and democracy in the hands of multinational corporations. Or so it will, soon...

[justicar5]

But its a good kind of human rights abuse, since oil there is already liberated and enjoying freedom and democracy in the hands of multinational corporations. Or so it will, soon...

The Oil WAS in the hands of multinationals before the revolution. Just FYI.

[Sphere]

The Oil WAS in the hands of multinationals before the revolution. Just FYI.

Details...

The Western and Arab nations under the umbrella of the UN carry out the first noble action in Libya for decades, and because the people of Libya are looking to create their own form of government not modelled on western governments, it's somehow a failure of the UN mission? Wasn't the whole point to allow Libyans the freedom to choose?

Where was the righteous anger when Italy, France, Britian etc. were signing oil deals with the Libyan dictator? Selling him weapons and military equipment? Freeing mass murderer's for oil deals? Re-establishing diplomatic ties? All the while he was running a repressive police state.

No, this will not do. The US and it's allies have alot to apologize for when it comes to Libya, but helping Libyans make their country a place where public opinion actually matters is not one of them.

[justicar5]

Details...

The Western and Arab nations under the umbrella of the UN carry out the first noble action in Libya for decades, and because the people of Libya are looking to create their own form of government not modelled on western governments, it's somehow a failure of the UN mission? Wasn't the whole point to allow Libyans the freedom to choose?

Where was the righteous anger when Italy, France, Britian etc. were signing oil deals with the Libyan dictator? Selling him weapons and military equipment? Freeing mass murderer's for oil deals? Re-establishing diplomatic ties? All the while he was running a repressive police state.

No, this will not do. The US and it's allies have alot to apologize for when it comes to Libya, but helping Libyans make their country a place where public opinion actually matters is not one of them.

I support the overthrow of Gaddafi, I was pointing out to Brosef that the oil wealth was already under multinational control, they just bought Gaddafi off and started drilling.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...82L_story.html

[Simon Cashmere]

The Oil WAS in the hands of multinationals before the revolution. Just FYI.

But not at those prices. The question was only a better deal. I posted in another thread the leaked documents in French where the Libyan rebels agree to better terms. But of course those were forgeries. Us Zionists are very good at such things......

It's always about money, at the bottom of it all. Why is the US and NATO not swooping in to help the poor Syrian civilians, unlike the Libyan counterparts? No oil deals to have, or at least nothing important enough to bother about.

The Arab spring will just be a long term sharia winter, and perhaps at some stage, a nuclear one. But the white man's fantasy of liberalism and democracy sweeping through the Middle East instead of sharia hell keeps getting airplay. I guess it is easier for many to believe utopian fantasy than brutal reality.