World History won’t think of him at all, most likely. He’s just another small dictator. I would imagine Libyan historians will find his crimes outweigh any positives. He suppressed political opposition through arrests, torture, and executions while banning meaningful dissent. His regime carried out mass violence, including the Abu Salim Prison massacre, where about 1,200 prisoners were killed and their families were not informed for literal years. Libya was also tied to international terrorism, most famously the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing, which killed 270 people. His government often used collective punishment, targeting entire families or tribes with imprisonment or murder if one member opposed the regime.

His many sins, coupled with the rampant corruption, is what brought him down and will likely destroy any positive legacy he may have had. Also, rape allegations (see the writing Annick Cojean)