This number is not inclusive of the numerous occurrences where individual administration leaders were removed by force without a change in regime. Military coups in africathe african neocolonialism that. Indeed, only 14around a quarterof africa s 54 countries are yet to experience a military coup. D student of political science at the department of political science university of ibadan ibadan, nigeria abstract the military is not by inclination trained to rule, but to defend. Map of coups since 2000 including 2016 turkey coup attempt. For most of human history, attaching military to rule would have been. Pdf explaining african military coups detat, 19601982.
Military coups in west africa since the sixties is an invaluable work, chokefull of facts, and wellbalanced, by one of our important african writers from tanzania. Civilian control and military effectiveness in south. Military coups in africa the african neocolonialism that is selfinflicted author major jimmi wangome, kenya army csc 1985 subject area general executive summary title. Why has postcolonial africa been so vulnerable to military coups. Precolonial kingdoms and the coupcivil war nexus in sub. When your map work is completed, each country should be identified by one of the four types of government identified on the table. The following table established by adekeye adebajo and ismail rashid 2004 depicts the number of military coups in west africa along with the number of years of military rule since the postcolonial era. Frequent military coups against the post colonial regimes. Impact of military coups detat on west africas socio. In terms of continents, coups were most prevalent in africa, followed by latin america. Military coups were once common pdf as a means to seize power, with both mbasogo and museveni entering their presidencies this way. Military coups are largely driven by elite rivalries inside the military and the civilian government. Africas leaders for life council on foreign relations. The good thing for the rest of the continent is that ideas are contagious.
It started with a military coup detat that took place on july 23, 1952, by a group of young army officers who named themselves the free officers movement. The beginning of the end of military coups in africa the. Zimbabwes military takeover was the worlds strangest coup. Minerals, diamonds, or oil are also extracted in varying amounts in west africa. The 2003 guineabissau coup detat was the bloodless military coup that took place in. Elections and coups in sierra leone, 1967 the journal of.
Following the period from 19571960, when most countries in west africa broke loose from colonialism and became independent, the need for an integrated and classless. The military history of africa is one of the oldest military histories in the world. A coup detat, often abbreviated to coup, is the overthrow of a government by nondemocratic means. In postcolonial africa, the military coup has in effect become the institu tionalized method for changing governments. Of those 54, 44 have experienced a military coup detat. By 1984, africa had experienced these many military coups in 30 countries a 25 b 100 c 35 d 70 points earned. This page provides access to the ongoing data project i have with clayton thyne, as well as a more general overview of basic aspects of the data. These forces are making it harder and harder to mount a successful military coup against a legitimate government. The african unions chequered history with military coups. We define coups as illegal and overt attempts by the military or other elites within the state apparatus to unseat the sitting executive, and successes as episodes in which the perpetrators control. Africa is more than just the worlds second largest continent. An ability to explain the conditions that prompt coups and perhaps thereby to predict their occurrence would greatly contribute to our understanding of the dominant mode of governmental change in black africa.
Successful coups are recorded in red, failed coups in blue. Africa and the barrack revolts by ebenezer babatope between 1952 and 1981 there were no less than thirtyone coups or military takeovers in africa, thirty of which took place between 1963 and 1981. Africa and south america seem to have been particularly prone to coups, for. This map has been updated to include the attempted coup in turkey on 1516 july 2016. Military coups and military regimes in africa by samuel decalo in the past several years there has been a proliferation of studies on coup detats in africa and the political role of african military structures. Crisis in mali congressional research service 1 overview and recent developments for the past year, mali has been mired in overlapping security, political, and humanitarian crises. Military coups in africathe african neocolonialism.
Looking at south africa and ghana, this chapter compares two cases of relative success in regard to democratization and the establishment of civilian control in subsaharan africa. Understanding african armies rapporteurs david chuter florence gaub with contributions from. In total, africa has experienced at least 200 coup attempts since the 1960s with some being successful. Apr 17, 2012 why are there so many coups in west africa. In the past several years there has been a proliferation of studies on coup detats in africa and the political role of african military structures. From the time of the egyptian revolution in 1950s, africa has experienced over ninety military coups, though a number of them have been unsuccessful. In 12 of those 40 countries, coups occurred within five years of gaining independence. Coups detat in africa, 19462004 country month day year success leaders deaths mauritania 6 8 2003 2 maj. Military coups see beginning of their end in africa huffpost. Are military coups detat a neverending phenomenon african. Nov 16, 2017 only 14around a quarterof africas 54 countries are yet to experience a military coup.
Understanding african armies european union institute for security. Military intrusion in african politics, usually in a coup, is one of the hurdles facing. View homework help africa eq5 from africa 220 at columbia college. The impact of military coups detat on west africas socioeconomic and political development, by maj. Stable civilian rule would require an elite pact to regulate political competition within multiethnic states. In democratic terms, the most explicit form of military intrusion in politics is the military coup detat the military execution of a sudden and unconstitutional change of government or regime. Although turkey is mostly in asia, it is also generally considered to be partly in europe. Africa has had some ninety military coups since 1963, and many rulers believe that their political survival depends on emphasizing military loyalty at the expense of capability.
The successful coup in cote divoire in 1998 began a cycle of political instability that has ruined a country once seen as the jewel of africa. Only 14around a quarterof africa s 54 countries are yet to experience a military coup. Which african countries have never witnessed a military coup. Salah ould henena, abderrahmane ould mini, mohammed ould cheikhna, mohammed ould salek 15 mauritania 8 10 2004 3 knights of change 0 mauritania 8 3 2005 1 col. Reality check looks back at sudans history of military interventions, and the wider picture across the african continent. Most coup attempts took place in africa, although there have also been a number of coups in asia and centralsouth america. Pdf this paper explores the link between redistribution and coups, typically overlooked in the coup. Military coup in algeria cancels elections and forces president to resign. Home master of military art and science theses impact of military coups detat on west africas socioeconomic and political development. Coups remain frequent in subsaharan africa and coups are the main threat to democracy in the region, by harming democratic consolidation and economic development, and by provoking further political instability. Military rule, political regime in which the military as an organization holds a preponderance of power. The only criticism i have has to do with typographical errors which may even tarnish the authors reputation especially as an academic author, although this is not his fault, as. Slater the orkand corporation patmcgowan arizona state university the purpose of this article is to contribute to the theoretical understanding of african military.
While both countries have created comprehensive frameworks for civilian control after their democratization in the 1990s, the setup and performance of oversight. The main economic activity in the region is subsistence agriculture. In the aftermath of the intervention by the military in zimbabwe that led to yesterdays resignation of president robert mugabe, there was a strong call from zimbabweans for the african union au and the southern african development community sadc to not get involved. It might not yet be the end of military coup detats in africa but coup plotters are sure to be challenged from many fronts. Military coups see beginning of their end in africa. The coup is often described as postmodern in turkey as no military force was actually used. In the four decades between 1960 and 2000, the number of coup attempts remained remarkably consistent at around 40. These studies focus on the characteristics of the officers who came to poweryoung or old, revolutionary or conservative, on each countrys particular problems, and on the strategies used by the military leaders to stay in power. It happened just three weeks before the country was due to. Analysing the tumultuous spread of democracy across africa in the decades. Since the years of independence, africa has experienced more than 200 military coups, counting both successful and failed coup attempts. Coups have been present for a long time and africa, particularly west africa, is no stranger to these bloody affairs. Military coups are likely to remain a feature of the africa political landscape, even if at a reduced rate.
Examination of the different types of military interventions plots. If you glance at the map, there seem to be regional clusters of coups. Coups in the world, 1950present database on coups and coup attempts 1950present, by jonathan powell and clayton thyne. Indeed, a field study tour conducted in 1960 1 the year of independence as it has been called to investigate the place of the armed forces in societies in africa did not provide the evidence on which to forecast the eventual spate of coups. The contributors to the military in african politics have divided the regimes into three categories or case studies. It has become something of a popular trope in the media to point out that attempted and successful coups in africa have been less frequent since the end of the cold war, but as this detailed data set shows, coups are only slightly less common and successful post1991 than they were before. Frances military is all over africa business insider. A look at the string of bizarre events that eschewed the playbook for military takeovers. The structural sources of military coups in postcolonial. The number of military coups and coup attempts since 1950 currently stands at around 530, an astonishing number. He concluded that just three factors underpinned military coups and the likelihood of their occurrence. Onwumechili provides an exciting perspective on african military coups and reminds us that democracy is not synonymous solely with western societies.
In 1952, the egyptian revolution known as the july 23 revolution began. Zimbabwe joins 40 african countries that have had coups quartz africa. These differences have also been the source of much conflict since a millennia. Explaining african military coups detat, 19601982 thomash. In total, 23 african countries have seen at least three coups. Ghanaian writer elizabeth ohene tackles the issue of military coups for the bbc and says ecowas, a west african regional group that works toward. Statistical evidence shows pcks can explain variance in patterns of military coups, civil wars, and ethnic representation at both the country and ethnic grouplevel.
The term military rule as used here is synonymous with military regime and refers to a subtype of authoritarian regime. August 2005 centre for the study of african economies, department of economics, university of oxford. He found that around half of the countries in the world have experienced military coups between the 1950s and the presenta very large number. Five of the most famous african coups egyptian revolution. Precolonial kingdoms and the coup civil war nexus in subsaharan africa jack paine december 15, 2014. Pdf redistribution and military coups researchgate.
Types of african governments, 1989 above to fill in the types on the political map of africa, for each country in africa in 1989. The researcher assumes that the trend of military coups and instability in west africa is far from declining. Writing in 2015, ntomba suggested that military coups in africa are slowly going out of fashion. One of the, many promises given by the military when they take over the government is points earned. Africas wars since the late nineteenth century can be differentiated in terms of their causal factors and dynamics, spatial scales and locations, temporal scope and duration, composition of perpetrators and combatants, military equipment and engagements deployed, impacts on military and. Military coups and military regimes in africa scientia. Armies have been analysed in terms of their social and ethnic composition, training, ideology, and socialising influences. Explaining african military coups detat, 19601982 thomas.
This is a chronological list of coups and coup attempts, from ancient times to the present. Since 2000 there have been successful coups in the central african republic and togo, and failed coups in sao tome, principe and equatorial guinea. The impact of military coup detat on political development in nigeria olorungbemi simeon toyin ph. Since 2000 there have been 62 coup attempts across the world and 23 successful coups.
The army and the people levels of trust in the army 53. To what extent can african military coups be explained by environmental socio economicpolitical culture factors. After malis government was overthrown in a military coup in march 2012, insurgents. Burkina fasos military has overthrown the interim government in a coup that has plunged the capital city, ouagadougou, into panic. By 1984 africa had experienced these many military coups in. Coups detat, 19462015 list of coups and coup attempts 19462015, by the center for systemic peace. Most of west africa lies in the african transition zone, with portions north and south of the transitional region. Prior to the july 2016 attempted military coup in turkey only one attempted coup has taken place in europe since 2000 in abkhazia in. Africa s wars since the late nineteenth century can be differentiated in terms of their causal factors and dynamics, spatial scales and locations, temporal scope and duration, composition of perpetrators and combatants, military equipment and engagements deployed, impacts on military and. Ghanaian writer elizabeth ohene tackles the issue of military coups for the bbc and says ecowas, a. Top 20 most brutal and ruthless dictators in africa african. Growth of military statesas late as 1961 the african image had not been tarnished to any great extent by the incidence of military coups.
However, military coups are a regular occurrence in only of the 44. This map catalogs every coup attempt since 2000 whether successful or not. Mutinies in kenya, uganda, and tanganyika and military and society in east africa. Africa is a continent of many regions with diverse populations speaking hundreds of different languages and practicing an array of cultures and religions. He examines democracies in traditional africa and shows how these socieites clearly defined and limited the roles of traditional african armies. During the last 50 years,5 coups have been most common in africa 36.
While researchers have differed over the precise factors leading to coups and the level of their predictability, this paper shifts the focus to political and economic determinants, which have hitherto escaped. As the 20th century began, most of africa, with the exception of ethiopia, somalia and liberia. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Moreover, growing military power displaces and absorbs other u. The following table established by adekeye adebajo and ismail rashid 2004 depicts the number of military coups in west africa along with the number of years of military. We tend to have a very specific notion of a military coup. In the four decades between 1960 and 2000, the number of coup attempts remained remarkably consistent at. Dry, desert conditions exist to the north and tropical conditions exist to the south. From this background, onwumechili makes readers appreciate that modern african armies are deviant. List of coups detat and coup attempts by country wikipedia. The impact of military coup detat on political development.
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