Johnson the august 1983 overthrow of major jeanbaptiste ouedraogo by captain thomas sankara in upper volta now burkina faso, the new years eve abrupt termination in nigeria of black africas largest. 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. Conscription in africa 34 list of tables in annex table 1. The first coup in west africa occurred on january, 1963. Indeed, a field study tour conducted in 1960 1 the year. Enahoro, peter, military rule in africa, in africa london, 4. Example of such african countries is nigeria ghana, algeria etc. What are the causes of military coups in africa answers. Military coups see beginning of their end in africa huffpost.
Military coups see beginning of their end in africa. In coups and army rule in africa, published in 1976, samuel decalo examined four lesserstudied frenchafrican states. Between 1966 and 1999 the army held power in nigeria without interruption apart from a shortlived return to democracy between 19791983. These differences have also been the source of much conflict since a millennia. Pdf the probability of military rule in africa, 19702007. Understanding the root causes of military coups and governmental instability in west africa open pdf 2 mb. Enahoro, peter, military rule in africa, in africa london, 4, 1971, p. There have been several cases of military coup in africa.
Buhari was the one who lead the military coup of 1983. Personal rule, subsaharan africas predominant governing method. The purpose of this article is to contribute to the theoretical understanding of african military coups detat. 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. 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. Advancing military professionalism in africa 1 executive summary vivid examples of weak military professionalism in africa are regularly evident in news accounts of instability on the continent. In decalos view, current theory about military intervention in african politics does not sufficiently emphasize the internal structure of each countrys military and the idiosyncracies of their leaders. Subsaharan africa, in particular, is characterized by the turnover.
They have targeted established democracies, infantile democratic experiments, increasingly authoritarian executives, power vacuums brought on by leader death, andmost recently in burundileaders attempting to circumvent constitutional. Military coups and military rule which began as an emergency aberration became a seemingly permanent feature of nigerian politics. Historically, leadership in africa was based on conquest and monarchy and then colonialism. Ethnic and religious clashes have continued in africas most densely populated nation. Coup detats, violence characterize leadership in africa, and dictatorship and some scholars have argued that democracy is not an african ideology. From this background, onwumechili makes readers appreciate that modern african armies are deviant. Militaries collapsing in the face of attacks by irregular forces, coups, mutinies, looting, human. The term military rule as used here is synonymous with military regime and refers to a subtype of authoritarian regime. From the time of the egyptian revolution in 1950s, africa has experienced over ninety military coups, though a number of them have been unsuccessful.
Coups and army rule in africa yale university press. Military coups in africathe african neocolonialism. 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. Assoumani azzali leads april 30, 1999, coup that dissolves constitution and government.
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. Relations data set and patrick mcgowan for sharing his african military. Military coups and military regimes in africa volume 11 issue 1 samuel decalo. From studies of togo, dahomey, the congo and uganda, he concludes that the most significant factor in military regime stability is consistency and equity in army promotions and benefits. He examines democracies in traditional africa and shows how these socieites clearly defined and limited the roles of traditional african armies. The military history of africa is one of the oldest military histories in the world. The other answers offered all hit on many of the points, but i think you can summarize them in an approximate ranking of importance thusly.
The enemy within personal rule, coups, and civil war in africa. Moreover, military rule was conducive to political stabililj and one could. Thank you for submitting a comment on this article. This research was supported by the new security challenges programme of the economic and social research. Military coups and military regimes in africa scientia. Unfortunately, struggles for power have resulted in many military coups in the country. Military rule, political regime in which the military as an organization holds a preponderance of power. The army and the people levels of trust in the army 53 table 5.
Growth of military statesas late as 1961 the african image had not been tarnished to any great extent by the incidence of military coups. The army coup detat is plainly a shortcircuit of power conflicts in a situation where arms do the deciding. Top 20 most brutal and ruthless dictators in africa. Nigeria suffered from violence and military rule from 1966 until 1999, when a democratic government was established.
What are the causes of military coup in africa answers. The enemy within personal rule, coups, and civil war in. The enemy within personal rule, coups, and civil war in africa by philip roessler introduction what explains the outbreak of largescale political violence be tween governments and domestic armed opposition. Muhammad ziaulhaq overthrows the civilian government and hangs prime minister zulfiqar ali bhutto in 1979 after a sham trial. With permanent military rule widespread throughout africa, it is clearly important to understand the role of the military in this continent. For most of human history, attaching military to rule would have been. In coups and army rule in africa, published in 1976, samuel decalo examined four lesserstudied frenchafrican statesthe congo, benin, uganda, and togo. We begin by replicating a wellknown model jackman, 1978 that purports to identify the structural determinants of coups detat within the states of subsaharan black africa. I thank andreas wimmer, larserik cederman, and brian min for sharing the ethnic power. This number is not inclusive of the numerous occurrences where individual administration leaders were removed by force without a change in regime.
General ziaur rahman killed 2500 soldiers and officer army, air force, navy for these failed coups. By 1975, when the first edition of coups and army rule in africa was published, twenty of the continents fortyone states were led by military or civilmilitary cliques. In coups and army rule in africa, published in 1976, samuel decalo examined four lesserstudied frenchafrican statesthe congo, benin, uganda, and togoto discover what actually happened when military replaced civilian rule. This thesis was written in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the masters of military art and science, general studies degree from the u.
Military coups have posed a persistent threat to political stability in africa, undermining democratization efforts, igniting insurgencies, and leading to years of devastating military governance. The enemy within personal rule, coups, and civil war in africa by philip roessler in t r o d u c t i o n what explains the outbreak of largescale political violence be tween governments and domestic armed opposition. In recent years, political instability, religious competition, ethnic differences and the need to become more modern. Over the past decade a coherent research program has emerged to address this.
In 1965 and 1966 alone there were eleven coups with the continent by which most took place between november 1965 and february 1966. Pdf explaining african military coups detat, 19601982. Understanding the root causes of military coups and. He successfully refutes prevailing theories that military rule has fostered socioeconomic or political development or stability. The impact of military coup detat on political development in nigeria olorungbemi simeon toyin ph.
These papers derive three main causes of military rule. Although military rule has become less common during the past two decades, the military still governed 19% of the worlds countries in the. Indeed, it could well be argued that greater attention to the parameters of the togolese and upper voltaic experiences may well challenge certain current assumptions about military rule in. More broadly, in the last 60 years, the region has seen more than 40 coups. The impact of military coups detat on west africa s socioeconomic and political development, by maj. The probability of military rule in africa, 19702007 dse univr. Military spending and the risks of coups detats paul collier and anke hoeffler, centre for the study of african economies, department of economics, oxford university march, 2007 we would like to thank lisa chauvet for useful suggestions. Praetorianism found a particularly fertile ground in postindependence africa. Africa has had some ninety military coups since 1963, and many rulers believe that their. This article deals with the etiology and morphology of military rule in. An example is the 1966 coup in ghana in the month or january when a military coup. Conflict trends in africa marshall page 5 of 5 adverse regime changes in africa, 19552004 country month begin year begin month end year end description polity change comoros 4 1999 4 1999 army chief of staff col. Research by florida and kentucky universities in the four decades between 1960 and 2000, the number of coup attempts remained remarkably consistent at. Johnson theaugust i 983 overthrow of major jeanbaptiste ouedraogo by captain thomas sankara in upper volta now burkina faso, the new years eve abrupt termination in nigeria of black africas largest.
The history of the nigerian army and the implications for the future of nigeria, by maj fredrick c. Nigeria is a nation of vast human and natural resource potential that has experienced. Coups and army rule in africa by samuel decalo, 9780300040432. Following colonialism, dictatorship continued in many parts of africa.