The uprising in Libya

        The 2011 Libyan protests began as a series of protests and confrontations occurring in the North African state of Libya against the Government of Libya and its de facto leader Muammar al-Gaddafi. The unrest began on 15 February 2011 and continues to the present. Media outlets have reported the unrest as being inspired by the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, connecting the protests with the wider 2010–2011 Middle East and North Africa protests. According to Richard Engel, NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent, who entered Libya and had reached the city of Turku on 22 February 2011, "the protest movement is no longer a protest movement, it's a war. It's open revolt." On 22 February, The Economist described the events as an "uprising that is trying to reclaim Libya from the world's longest-ruling autocrat."

         Protests have centered on Libya’s two largest cities, the capital of Tripoli in the west, and Benghazi in the east and tend to spread to other cities. On 18 February, demonstrators took control over most of Benghazi, the country's second-largest city, with some support from police and defecting military units. The government reacted by sending elite troops and mercenaries, which were resisted by Benghazi's inhabitants and insurrectionary members of the military. By 20 February, more than 200 people had been killed in Benghazi.[5] Protests in Tripoli have centered around Green Square. On 21 February, Libyan Air Force aircraft attacked civilian protesters in Tripoli, drawing international condemnation. The New York Times reported that "the crackdown in Libya has proven the bloodiest of the recent government actions."

Several Libyan officials have stepped down over the course of the protests while others have distanced themselves from Gaddafi and his government, declaring his current regime as illegitimate and accusing him of genocide and crimes against humanity in his attacks against the people of Libya.

As of 23 February 2011, most towns and cities in Libya are reported to be under the control of the Libyan opposition and not the government of Muammar al-Gaddafi.

          Muammar al-Gaddafi has ruled Libya as the Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution since overthrowing the monarchy in 1969. Following the retirement of Fidel Castro in 2008 and the death of Omar Bongo in 2009, Gaddafi is the world's longest ruling non-royal head of state. Traditionally, Libya is divided by clans, whom a strong leader like Gaddafi seeks to pacify. WikiLeaks' disclosure of confidential U.S. diplomatic cables has revealed U.S. diplomats there even speaking of Gaddafi's "mastery of tactical maneuvering". While placing relatives and loyal members of his tribes in central military and government positions, he skillfully marginalized supporters and rivals, thus maintaining a delicate balance of powers, stability and economic developments. This chess game extends even to his own power-hungry children, as he changes affections to avoid the rise of a clear successor and rival.

Petroleum revenues contribute up to 58% of Libya's GDP, leading to a resource curse. Governments with "resource curse" revenue have a lower need for taxes from other industries and consequently are less willing to develop their middle class. To calm down opposition, such governments can use the income from natural resources to offer services to the population, or to specific regime supporters. The government of Libya can utilize these techniques by using the national oil resources.

In "How Qaddafi Lost Libya", The New Yorker's Andrew Solomon reported that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was an "absolute failure" in achieving reforms. Libya's oil wealth was spread over a relatively small population of six million, Solomon explained, and Gaddafi did not fulfill "even the most basic government obligations" or address unemployment. Libya’s unemployment is the highest in the region at 21%, according to the latest census figures.

          However, Gaddafi's government has also had more economic progress than other Arab countries. Libya's purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP per capita in 2010 was US$14,878; its human development index in 2010 was 0.755; and its literacy rate in 2009 was 86.8%. These numbers were lower in Egypt and Tunisia. Indeed, Libyan citizens are considered well-educated and rich. Its corruption perception index in 2010 was 2.2, which was worse than that of Egypt and Tunisia, two neighboring countries who faced uprising before Libya. This specific situation creates a wider contrast between good education, high demand for democracy, and the government's practices (perceived corruption, political system, supply of democracy.