The Third International Theory, also known as the Third Universal Theory (Arabic: 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 Islamic socialism, Arab nationalism, African nationalism and the principles of direct democracy.[1][2]
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.