Military dictatorship

A military dictatorship is a form of government wherein a military force exerts complete or substantial control over political authority.

A military dictatorship is different from civilian dictatorship for a number of reasons: their motivations for seizing power, the institutions through which they organize their rule and the ways in which they leave power. Often viewing itself as saving the nation from the corrupt or myopic civilian politicians, a military dictatorship justifies its position as "neutral" arbiters on the basis of their membership within the armed forces. For example, many juntas adopt titles such as "Committee of National Restoration", or "National Liberation Committee". Military leaders often rule as a junta, selecting one of themselves as a head.[1]

Occasionally military dictatorship is called khakistocracy.[2] [3][4] The term is a portmanteau word combining kakistocracy with khaki, the tan-green camouflage colour used in most modern army uniforms.

Creation and evolution

Most military dictatorships are formed after a coup d'état has overthrown the previous government.

Military dictatorships may gradually restore significant components of civilian government while the senior military commander still maintains executive political power. In Pakistan, ruling Generals Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq (1977–1988) and Pervez Musharraf (1999–2008) have held referendums to elect themselves President of Pakistan for additional terms forbidden by the constitution.

Justification

In the past, military juntas have justified their rule as a way of bringing political stability for the nation or rescuing it from the threat of "dangerous ideologies". For example the threat of Communism, Socialism, and Islamism was often used. Military regimes tend to portray themselves as non-partisan, as a "neutral" party that can provide interim leadership in times of turmoil, and also tend to portray civilian politicians as corrupt and ineffective. One of the almost universal characteristics of a military government is the institution of martial law or a permanent state of emergency.

Current cases

Country Formerly Military dictatorship adopted Event
Egypt Egypt Unitary semi-presidential constitutional republic July 3, 2013 2013 Egyptian coup d'état
Thailand Thailand Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy May 22, 2014 2014 Thai coup d'état

Past cases

Africa

  1.  Algeria (1965–1976; 1992–1994; 2011)
  2.  Benin (1963–1964; 1965–1968; 1969–1970; 1972–1975)
  3.  Burkina Faso (1966–2015)
  4.  Burundi (1966–1974; 1976–1979; 1987–1992)
  5.  Central African Republic (1966–1979; 1981–1986; 2003–2005; 2013–2014)
  6.  Chad (1975–1979; 1982–1990)
  7.  Ciskei (1990–1994)
  8.  Comoros (1999–2002)
  9.  Democratic Republic of the Congo (1965–1971; 1971–1997)
  10.  Republic of the Congo (1968–1969; 1977–1979)
  11.  Côte d'Ivoire (1999–2000)
  12.  Egypt (1953–1956; 2011–2012; 2013-2014)
  13.  Equatorial Guinea (1979–1987)
  14.  Ethiopia (1974–1987; 2016–2017; 2018)
  15.  The Gambia (1994–1996)
  16.  Ghana (1966–1969; 1972–1975; 1975–1979; 1981–1993)
  17.  Guinea (1984–1990; 2008–2010)
  18.  Guinea-Bissau (1980–1984; 1999; 2003; April 12, 2012 – May 11, 2012)
  19.  Lesotho (1986–1993, 2014)
  20.  Liberia (1980–1986, 1990–1997, 2003–2006)
  21.  Libya (1969–1977; 1977–2011)
  22.  Madagascar (1972–1976)
  23.  Mali (1968–1992; March 21, 2012 – April 12, 2012)
  24.  Mauritania (1978–1979; 1979–1992; 2005–2007; 2008–2009)
  25.  Niger (1974–1989; 1996; 1999; 2010–2011)
  26.  Nigeria (1966–1975; 1975–1979; 1983–1985; 1985–1993; 1993–1998; 1998–1999)
  27.  Rwanda (1973–1975)
  28.  São Tomé and Príncipe (1995; 2003)
  29.  Sierra Leone (1967–1968; 1992–1996; 1997–1998)
  30.  Somalia (1969–1976; 1980–1991)
  31.  Sudan (1958–1964; 1969–1971; 1985–1986; 1989–1993)
  32.  Togo (1967–1979)
  33.  Transkei (1987–1994)
  34.  Uganda (1971–1979; 1985–1986)
  35.  Venda (1990–1994)
  36.  Zimbabwe (2017–2018)

North and Central America

  1.  Costa Rica (1868–1870; 1876–1882; 1917–1919)
  2.  Cuba (1933; 1952–1959)
  3.  Dominican Republic (1899; 1930–1961; 1963–1966)
  4.  El Salvador (1885–1911; 1931–1982)
  5.  Guatemala (1944–1945; 1954–1957; 1957–1966; 1970–1986)
  6.  Haiti (1950–1956; 1956–1957; 1986–1990; 1991–1994)
  7.  Honduras (1956–1957; 1963–1971; 1972–1982; 2009–2010)
  8.  Mexico (1821-1823; 1835-1846 ; 1876; 1877–1880; 1884–1911; 1913-1914;1929-2000)
  9.  Nicaragua (1937–1956; 1967–1979)
  10.  Panama (1903–1904; 1968–1989)

South America

  1.  Argentina (1930–1932; 1943–1946; 1955–1958; 1966–1973; 1976–1983)
  2.  Bolivia (1839–1843; 1848; 1857–1861; 1861; 1864–1872; 1876–1879; 1899; 1920–1921; 1930–1931; 1936–1940; 1946–1947; 1951–1952; 1964–1966; 1970–1979; 1980–1982)
  3.  Brazil (1889–1894; 1930; 1964–1985)
  4.  Chile (1924–1925; 1925; 1932; 1973–1990)
  5.  Colombia (1854; 1953–1958)
  6.  Ecuador (1876–1883; 1935–1938; 1947; 1963–1966; 1972–1979; 2000)
  7.  Paraguay (1940–1948; 1954–1989; 1989–1993)
  8.  Peru (1842–1844; 1865–1867; 1872; 1879–1881; 1914–1915; 1930–1939; 1948–1956; 1962–1963; 1968–1980; 1992–2000)
  9.  Suriname (1980–1988)
  10.  Uruguay (1865–1868; 1876–1879; 1933–1938; 1973–1985)
  11.  Venezuela (1858–1859; 1859–1861; 1861–1863; 1908–1913; 1922–1929; 1931–1935; 1948–1958)

Asia

  1.  Bangladesh (1975–1981; 1982–1990; 2007-2008)
  2.  Brunei (1962)
  3.  Burma (Myanmar) (1962–1974; 1988–2011)
  4.  Cambodia (1970–1975)
  5.  Indonesia (1967–1998)
  6. Iran Pahlavi Iran (1953–1957; 1978–1979)
  7.  Iraq (1933–1935; 1937–1938; 1949–1950; 1952–1953; 1958–1963; 1963–1979)
  8. Japan Empire of Japan (1940–1945)
  9.  South Korea (1961–1963, 1980)
  10. Laos Kingdom of Laos (1959–1960; 1964)
  11. Maldives (1988-1989)
  12.  Pakistan (1958–1969; 1969-1971; 1977–1988; 1999–2008)
  13.  Philippines (1898, 1972–1981)
  14.  Syria (1949; 1951–1954; 1961–1972)
  15. Republic of China (1912–1949) (1927–1949)/Republic of China (Taiwan) (1949–1987)
  16.  Thailand (1933; 1947–1948; 1951; 1957; 1958–1969; 1971–1973; 1976–1979; 1991–1992; 2006–2008; 2014–present)
  17.  South Vietnam (1963–1967)
  18.  North Yemen (1962–1967; 1974–1977; 1977-1978; 1978; 1978-1982 )

Europe

  1. Bulgaria Kingdom of Bulgaria (1934–1935; 1944–1946)
  2.  England (1653–1658)
  3.  France (1870–1871)
  4. German Empire German Empire (1916–1918)
  5.  Greece (1925–1926; 1967–1974)
  6.  Poland (1926–1935; 1981–1983)
  7.  Portugal (1926–1933)
  8. Romania Kingdom of Romania (1940–1944)
  9. Russia Russian Empire (1918–1920)
  10. San Marino San Marino (1957)
  11.  Spain (1923–1930; 1936–1975)
  12.  Turkey (1960–1961; 1971–1973; 1980–1983)
  13. Ukraine Ukraine (1918)

Oceania

  1.  Fiji (1987–1999; 2006–2014)

See also

References

  1. Cheibub, José Antonio; Jennifer Gandhi; James Raymond Vreeland (April 1, 2010). "Democracy and dictatorship revisited". Public Choice. 143 (1–2): 67–101. doi:10.1007/s11127-009-9491-2. ISSN 0048-5829. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
  2. Dave Gilson (2003-02-02). "Freed from a prison of thought in Nigeria". SFGate. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
  3. Ikhenemho Okomilo (2005-06-10). "Another October, More Khakistocracy". Nigerians in America. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
  4. temporal (2007-08-07). "Khakistocracy: Military-Industrial-Feudal Complex in Pakistan". Desicritics. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
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