Using original data on coup agency, public spending, and officer salaries in the middle east and north africa, we find that counterbalancinga strategy designed to increase barriers for coup. Times have changed since as the quest for strong institutions. Academic freedom and human rights and the special initiative for lusophone africa. Successful 1, attempted 2, plotted 3, and alleged 4.
A coup detat can be defined as a quick and decisive seizure of governmental power by a strong military or political group. Coups detat 196082, johnson, slater, and mcgowan 1984 replicate and attempt to extend my earlier work on coups in subsaharan africa jackman, 1978. A look at the string of bizarre events that eschewed the playbook for military takeovers. On the evening of 14 november 2017, elements of the zimbabwe defence forces zdf gathered around harare, the capital of zimbabwe, and seized control of the zimbabwe broadcasting corporation and key areas of the city. Military coups see beginning of their end in africa huffpost. New states that gained independence via secession e. The coup detat, also known as coup, is typically an illegal, unconstitutional seizure of power conducted by a dictator, a guerrilla military force, or an opposing political faction. Conflict trends in africa marshall page 2 of 7 coups detat in africa, 19462004 country month day year success leaders deaths chad 3 31 1977 2 sublt. It is becoming increasingly difficult for a coup detat to succeed in africa. Coups detat, 19462015 list of coups and coup attempts 19462015, by the center for systemic peace. The coup detat playbook in venezuela workers world. It all began with the breakup of talks in the dominican republic at the beginning of 2017. Growth of military statesas late as 1961 the african image had not been tarnished to any great extent by the incidence of military coups.
They present an alternative model that seeks to account for the total. The coup attempt failed but violence continued in the capital over the following days. Thyne 2011 and are valid through december 31, 2014. Bophuthatswana is reincorporated into south africa. Ruth first i 1 the barrel of a gun political power in africa and the coup detat introduction and part i. Officers involved in the coup took hostages which have since been released by gabonese officials. However, table 1 also reveals that while coups are most likely to occur in africa, coups in the. The african union as a norm entrepreneur on military coups. Current explanations of african coups detat concentrate on national political.
African states and these events helped to create a new interest in coups detat as political phenomena worthy of the interest of the political scientist. Pdf the purpose of this article is to contribute to the theoretical understanding of african military coups detat. In africa however, the role of the military has not only taken different dimensions but also impacted on the development of politics in the subregion. Since 2000 there have been successful coups in the central african republic and togo, and failed coups in sao tome, principe and equatorial guinea. Rather than solve african contemporary political and socioeconomic problems, military coups detat in africa have tended to drive the.
The politics of coups detat in africa allen lane the penguin press. He organized a presidential election in 1998 and canceled in the interests of national security when he was losing. 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. Africa has had the most coup activity by region, both by raw frequency and by rate. It is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. Below we list the countries in africa with the most number of coups.
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. In contrast to a revolution, a coup detat does not involve a mass. Military coups see beginning of their end in africa. Top 20 most brutal and ruthless dictators in africa. A brief history of famous african coups and their endings. Few political events attract as much attention as coups detat. Military coups and military regimes in africa scientia. Every coup detat has different origins, causes and effects. Unlike a revolution, in which large numbers of people work for basic social, economic, and political change, a coup is a change in power from the top that merely results in. My first coup detat is a literary nonfiction account that charts the coming of age of john dramani mahama in ghana during the dismal postindependence lost decades of africa.
There have been several since the country declared its independence in 1973. There have been several cases of military coup in africa. Marshall and donna ramsey marshall center for systemic peace may 23, 2017 overview. Coup detat, the sudden, violent overthrow of an existing government by a small group.
The chance of a successful coup actually occurring has, though, also to take into account the existence of factors which hinder coups. Table 1 reports coup activity for each respective region of the world from 1950 to 2012. Since the 1950s, thereve been a total of 206 coups attempts in africa, according to a dataset compiled by two us political scientists, jonathan powell and. My first coup detat chronicles the comingofage of john dramani mahama in ghana during the dismal postindependence lost decades of africa.
The silent clamour for change first published by allen lane the penguin press in 1970 republished in 2012 by the ruth first papers project. The impact of military coups detat on west africa s socioeconomic and political development, by maj. Between 1952 and 2012, there were a total of 88 successful military coups in africa. The impact of military coup detat on political development in nigeria olorungbemi simeon toyin ph. The coup has not been a source for political stability. List of coups detat and coup attempts by country wikipedia. The results hold true even when the global model is subjected to a sensitivity analysis where lagged coup events over a sixyear period are included as a control variable. The effect of property rights protection on the decreased likelihood of a coup shows statistical significance in africa, asia, and latin america. Eyadema is the pioneer of africa s first military coup detat, an act that soon became the political trend in africa.
The map reflects both successful and failed coup attempts. He was seven years old when rumors of that first coup reached his. Ecowas and the african union should unanimously condemn and reject unconstitutional changes of. He was seven years old when rumors of a coup reached his boarding school in accra. And other true stories from the lost decades of africa pdf responses users have not still eventually left their particular writeup on the sport, or otherwise make out the print but. Armies have been analysed in terms of their social and ethnic composition, training, ideology, and socialising influences. Memories from the lost decades of africa, by john d. This number is not inclusive of the numerous occurrences where individual administration leaders were removed by force without a change in regime. Zimbabwes military takeover was the worlds strangest coup. A coup detat is the sudden, often violent overthrow of an existing government by a small group. From the time of the egyptian revolution in 1950s, africa has experienced over ninety military coups, though a number of them have been unsuccessful. Example of such african countries is nigeria ghana, algeria etc. 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.
To date, 40 african countries have experienced coups, some more than others with burkina faso being the coup capital of africa. While zambia is among africa s coup free countries, ugandas vulnerability to military intervention has varied over time with. The impact of military coups detat on west africas socioeconomic and political development, by maj. Pdf explaining african military coups detat, 19601982. Africa as the region most prone to military coups finer 1988. Tracing the development of a single african army coup detat does, i believe, tell more about soldiers and politicians, and their clashes and compromises, than a. Coup detat in africa african studies quarterly university of florida. Are military coups detat a neverending phenomenon african.
119 697 1244 687 1146 76 92 791 944 1414 546 327 1320 465 1291 1289 680 986 1234 317 919 676 423 505 942 355 85 1328 807 1194 73 1094 61 1429 1352 334 374 462 759 1491 178 1211