Military Coups Make a Comeback

The recent high-profile failed coup plot in Turkey is paradoxical when it comes to others like it. On the one hand, it drew attention to the fact that dozens of coups have been carried out successfully (and not) in the past decade or so; on the other hand, it casts a shadow on leaders who came to power purely militarily and still hold it around the world.

(Campaign donations by military industries to secure electoral victories should, but don't quite, count.)

This first part of a two-part series covering recent military coups worldwide focuses on the coups of the past decade or so. Since 1999, there have been over two dozen coups globally, some more successful than others, although some accurately argue that there is no such thing as a successful coup, only a victorious one. In political sciences, coups (small groups overthrowing top leaders) are generally distinguished from revolutions (large groups overthrowing a political system), through both can be militarized or not.

Here is a partial list indicating the scope and breadth of the problem:

1999: Military coups in Pakistan, Côte d'Ivoire and Fiji
2000: Coups in Ecuador, overthrow of President Fujimori in Peru
2002: Military coup in Central African Republic; unsuccessful coup to overthrow Venezuelan President
2003: Military coups in São Tomé and Príncipe, and Guinea-Bissau; attempted coup in Mauritania
2004: Military coups in Haiti; Attempted coup in the Democratic Republic of Congo; Second attempted coup in the Democratic Republic of Congo (June); attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea (August)
2005: Military coups in Togo, Ecuador, Nepalese, Mauritania
2006: Military coups in Thailand, Fiji, attempted in Iraq
2007: Civilian coup in Kenya
2008: Military coup in Guinea; attempted in Turkey
2009: Military coup in Honduras
2010: Military coups in Niger and Turkey

These coups have been carried out in the name of the country's people, particular classes and races, specific ideologies, cults of personality, for posterity's sake and for democracy. This multiplicity of motives makes intervention difficult but not impossible.

There is no designated international framework for dealing with coups before or after the fact, so those involved in them on either side have little hope for third-party intervention. Establishing one seems to fit best with regional bodies as they are developing.

Of course, in all cases, citizens who do not take part in coups suffer most widely, and there are UN agencies to help them as persecuted refugees. But given the opportunity, it is difficult to imagine that they would not want change in their country to be effected another way.

Stay tuned for Part Two in this series covering recent military coups worldwide, focusing on leaders who came to power purely militarily and still hold it around the world.

Photo credit: wise_kwai