The history of Libya under Muammar Gaddafi
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spanned a period of over four decades from 1969 to 2011. Gaddafi became the de facto leader of the country on 1 September 1969 after leading a group of young Libyan military officers against King Idris I in a bloodless coup d'état. After the king had fled the country, the Libyan Revolutionary Command Council
(RCC) headed by Gaddafi abolished the monarchy and the old constitution
and proclaimed the new Libyan African Republic, with the motto
"freedom, socialism, and unity".
After coming to power, the RCC government initiated a process of
directing funds toward providing education, health care and housing for
all. Despite the