Libya free essay sample

Rousseau also advocated the idea of a contract between citizens and the state, and his idea of â€Å" general will† which helps in defending the actions of the citizens of Libya. Libya is a North African nation of about 5,600,000 people of mixed Berber and Arab origin (Everything Our Government Really Does). Ninety-seven percent of the population are Sunni Muslims and fifty-seven percent live in or near the three Mediterranean coastal cities of Tripoli, Benghazi, and Misratah.It is mostly made up of desert and contributes through high-quality petroleum reserves on the world scene (Everything Our Government Really Does) . At the age of 27, Mummar al-Gaddafi seized power and established five major goals: removal of foreign military bases, international neutrality, national unity, Arab unity and suppression of political parties. After his first year –all- with the exception of Arab unity were accomplished. Arab unity began to be an obsessive matter to al-Ggaddafi, who made corrupt laws and had periods of unknown absence throughout his reign. We will write a custom essay sample on Libya or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Rousseau through a number of important social and political works, argued that civilization had a corrupting influence on humans. He also suggested that the social structure that encouraged self-interest instead of goodwill toward others had corrupted human nature and ruined societies way of life and the search of happiness. The Libyan society as a whole is a perfect example of this because it seems as if the citizens were apart of a corrupt society. It also appears that the Libyans, like Rousseau stated had lost their way of life and in turn their search of happiness.Those two factors alone, give enough of an impacting influence for the citizens to have rebelled against their leadership. In reference to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, under article 20 â€Å" Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association† and â€Å" No one may be compelled to belong to an association†(Blair, Ryan Elliot and Manning). With the obsession to create a Arabic community, Muammar al-Gaddafi eliminated diversity and forced everyone into one association which is a breach In the human rights.Rousseau also took note of the state in governing. He proposed the idea of a contract between citizens and the state. The state, according to Rousseau, should be governed according to the â€Å"general will† of the people. In connection to the Libyan scandal, Rousseau believed that the relationship between the state and the citizens was a beneficial relationship in which the state could be removed if the people willed it. These facts go to support and justify the acts and behaviours of the citizens of Libya.To Rousseau, the actions of the citizens would of been completely called for. Under article 21 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights it states â€Å"Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representives. † And â€Å"the will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures. (Blair, Ryan Elliot and Manning). Once again, since the people had no say and no control over the government, it is another breach in the human rights. As a philosopher, Rousseau strongly believed in the â€Å"general will† of a society. He preached that the majority of society needs to be happy, or else the relationship between governing leaders and citizens would not be strong. The citizens of Libya are a prime example of how citizens failed to have things done in their favour or in their â€Å" general will†, will end up rebelling against their leaders.His point’s make the acts of the Libyans justifiable for the simple fact that they weren’t being considered in the ruling of their own country. That itself is an violation of Article 22 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights â€Å" Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and reso urces of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality† (Blair, Ryan Elliot and Manning).