Tensions In Society Essay

A revolution is when there is a complete overturning of current social, economical, or political conventions, including a change in regime or government due to tensions in the society. The author states two claims about revolutions, both of which are substantiated by the article and historical evidence.

I support the author’s claim that tensions in a society lead to changes in the political systems.

Tension is defined as a situation in which people feel aggressive or unfriendly towards each other, resulting in potential dispute or violence. These tensions are caused by the loss of flexibility in a society, when social structures and behavior patterns have become so rigid that the society can no longer adapt to changing conditions, resulting

However, in the example of the Libyan Revolution, after achieving its intended purpose of toppling Muammar Gaddafi, that was not the case. Instead, the killing of Gaddafi resulted in a civil war as “militias turn[ed] on each other”. In the end, even after United Nations supervised the election of a new government that eventually fled to the eastern city of Tobruk, “many fear[ed] it would fragment” as the city started “giving way to anarchy”. “Thousands [were] dead, towns [were] smashed and 400,000 [were made] homeless”. A young Libyan student stated that “things were better [before the revolution as they] had security”.

In this instance, it is evident that the revolution resulted in negative ramifications. Because the Libyan Revolution was not led by anybody in particular, there was no clear leader to supersede Gaddafi, and the toppling of a leader created a power vacuum that provided groups possessing different goals and beliefs with an opportunity to expand their influence. This created chaos as they engaged in turf wars and fought to determine their country’s political future, plunging the people into a situation worse than before and failing to deliver the improved life people were hoping