The Green Book - Muammar Khaddafi

The Green Book (Arabic: الكتاب الأخضر‎ al-Kitāb al-Aḫḍar) is a short book setting out the political philosophy of the former Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi. The book was first published in 1975. It was "intended to be required reading for all Libyans." It is said to have been inspired in part by The Little Red Book(Quotations from Chairman Mao). Both were widely distributed both inside and outside their country of origin, and "written in a simple, understandable style with many memorable slogans."

An English translation was issued by the Libyan People's Committee, and a bilingual English/Arabic edition was issued in London by Martin, Brian & O'Keeffe in 1976.

The book caused a scandal in 1987, when West German ice hockey club ECD Iserlohn signed a US$900,000 advertising deal for the book.

The Green Book consists of three parts and has 110 pages with 200 words or fewer on each page.

• The Solution of the Problem of Democracy: The Authority of the People (published in late 1975)
• The Solution of the Economic Problem: Socialism (published in early 1977)
• The Social Basis of the Third International Theory (published in September 1981)

The Green Book rejects modern liberal democracy based on electing representatives as well as capitalism. Instead, it proposes direct democracy in the form of popular committees which allow direct political participation for all adult citizens.(en.wikipedia.org)

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The Green Book

Constitution of Meiji

Konstitusi Kekaisaran Jepang (大日本帝國憲法, umumnya dikenal sebagai Konstitusi Meiji) adalah undang-undang Kekaisaran Jepang dari tahun 1889 hingga tahun 1947. Diberlakukan sebagai bagian dari Restorasi Meiji, undang-undang dasar ini mengizinkan adanya sebuahmonarki konstitusional yang berdasarkan model Prusia, di mana Kaisar Jepang adalah penguasa aktif dan mempunyai kekuasaan politik yang besar, namun membagi hal ini dengan anggota parlemen yang dilantik. Berlakunya Restorasi Meiji yang mengembalikan kekuasaan politik langsung kepada kaisar untuk pertama kalinya setelah lebih dari seribu tahun, Jepang mengalami periode reformasi politik dan sosial serta proses westernisasi yang bertujuan untuk mengangkat derajat Jepang hingga sejajar dengan bangsa-bangsa lain di dunia Barat. Konsekuensi langsung dari Konstitusi ini adalah dibukanya pemerintah parlementer pertama di Asia.

Konstitusi Meiji menetapkan batasan yang jelas antara kekuasaan badan eksekutif dan kekuasaan mutlak Kaisar. Ia juga menciptakan sebuahpengadilan yang independen. Namun terdapat ambiguitas pada kata-kata dalam naskahnya, dan di banyak tempat terdapat keterangan yang saling berkontradiksi. Para pemimpin pemerintah dan partai politik dengan demikian mengemban tugas untuk menafsirkan, apakah Konstitusi Meiji dapat digunakan untuk membenarkan kekuasaan otoriter atau pemerintahan yang liberal-demokratis. Pertarungan antara dua kecenderungan tersebutlah yang kemudian mendominasi pemerintahan Kekaisaran Jepang.(id.wikipedia.org)

Constitution of Meiji-English Translation

Tahafut al-Falasifa(Incoherence of the Philosophers) - Al Ghazali

LET it be known that it would be tedious to dwell at length upon the differences among the philosophers themselves. For prolixity is their manner, and their disputes are too many, and their opinions are scattered, and their ways are divergent and devious. Therefore, we will confine our attention to the inconsistencies which are found in the theories of the premier philosopher who is called the Philosopher, or the First Teacher, for he systematised their sciences, and reformulated them, eliminating all that was redundant in the philosophers' opinions, and retaining only that which was close to the basic principles and tendencies of philosophical thought. This is Aristotle, who refuted all his predecessors — including his own teacher, whom the philosophers call the divine Plato. Having refuted Plato, Aristotle excused himself by saying: "Plato is dear to us. And truth is dear, too. Nay, truth is dearer than Plato."

We have related this story in order to show that in their own view there is nothing fixed and constant in the philosophers' position. They base their judgments on conjecture and speculation, unaided by positive inquiry and unconfirmed by faith. They try to infer the truth of their metaphysical theories from the clarity of the arithmetical and logical sciences. And this method sometimes carries conviction with the weak-minded people. But if their metaphysical theories had been as cogent and definite as their arithmetical knowledge is, they would not have differed among themselves on metaphysical questions as they do not differ on the arithmetical.

As far as the translators of Aristotle's works into Arabic are concerned, our problem is even more difficult. For the translations themselves have been subjected to interpolation and changes, which have necessitated further commentaries and interpretations. As a result, the translations are as much in dispute among the philosophers as the original works are. However, the most faithful — as Aristotle's translators — and the most original — as his commentators — among the philosophising Muslims are al-Farabi Abu Nasr, and Ibn Sina. Therefore, we will confine our attention to what these two have taken to be the authentic expression of the views of their misleaders. For what they discarded and refused to follow must undoubtedly have been utterly useless, and should not call for an elaborate refutation.

Therefore, let it be known that we propose to concentrate on the refutation of philosophical thought as it emerges from the writings of these two persons. For otherwise, the scattered character of the philosophical theories should have to be reflected in a proportionately loose arrangement of our subject-matter.

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Tahafut al-Falasifa English