What is Third International Theory?
[[File:Flag of Libya (1977-2011).svg|thumb|300px|The flag of the [[Libyan Arab Jamahiriya|Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya]] (1977–2011).]] The '''Third International Theory''', also known as the '''Third Universal Theory''' ({{lang-ar|نظرية عالمية ثالثة}}), was the style of government proposed by [[Muammar Gaddafi]] in the early 1970s, on which his government, the [[Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya]], was officially based. It was inspired by [[Islam|Islamic]] [[socialism]], [[Arab]] [[nationalism]], [[Africa|African]] [[nationalism]] and the principles of [[direct democracy]].<ref>[http://www.rcmlibya.org/English/RCM%20(1).pdf]{{Dead link|date=January 2021|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.h-alter.org/vijesti/svijet/libijska-dzamahirija-zmedju-proslosti-i-sadasnjosti-1-dio |title=Libijska džamahirija između prošlosti i sadašnjosti - 1. Dio - Svijet - H-Alter |access-date=2020-07-19 |archive-date=2014-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201224319/http://www.h-alter.org/vijesti/svijet/libijska-dzamahirija-zmedju-proslosti-i-sadasnjosti-1-dio |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Third International Theory was meant to be an alternative to [[capitalism]] and [[communism]], which Gaddafi felt were not appropriate for the countries of the [[Third World]] (not allies with either the US or the [[Soviet Union]]). In 2011, the Libyan government based on this political theory was overthrown and Gaddafi was killed. == Background == === Historical context === In the 1960s and 70s, an ideology called Islamic socialism became popular in the [[Arab world]]. People believed that [[socialism]] should be combined with the principles of [[Islam]] so that there would be a more fair and just world. Many people believed that capitalism and communism were both disrespectful of Islam and allowed other countries to control them. On September 1, 1969, a group of Libyan army officers overthrew the king and established a [[republic]]. This republic was