Everything about Military Dictatorship totally explained
A
military dictatorship is a
form of government wherein the political power resides with the
military; it's similar but not identical to a
stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military.
Nature and typology
Like any
dictatorship, a military dictatorship may be official or unofficial, and as a result may not actually qualify as stratocratic (some military dictators, like Panama's
Manuel Noriega, are nominally subordinate to the civil government). Mixed forms also exist, where the military exerts a very strong influence without being entirely dominant.
The declaration by which a military
coup d'état is made official is called "proclamation" from the
Spanish proclamación, 'proclamation'.
The typical military dictatorship in
Latin America was ruled by a
junta (derived from a Spanish word which can be translated as "conference" or "board"), or a committee composed of several officers, often from the military's most senior leadership, but in other cases (for example when their military superiors remained loyal to, or indeed were, the previous regime) less senior, as evidenced by the term
colonels' regime. Other military dictatorships are entirely in the hands of a single officer (also called a
caudillo), usually the senior army commander. In either case, the
chairman of the junta or the single commander may often personally assume office as
head of state.
In the
Middle East and
Africa,
military governments more often came to be led by a single powerful person, and were
autocracies in addition to military dictatorships. Leaders like
Idi Amin,
Muammar al-Gaddafi, and
Gamal Abdul Nasser worked to develop a
personality cult and became the face of the nation inside and outside their countries.
Most military dictatorships are formed after a
coup d'état has overthrown the previous government. One very different pattern was the one followed by
Saddam Hussein's regime in
Iraq, which began as a
one-party state ruled by the
Ba'ath Party, but over the course of its existence turned into a military dictatorship (as its leaders donned uniforms and the military became closely involved in the government).
Conversely, other military dictatorships may gradually restore significant components of
civilian government while the senior-most military commander still maintains supreme
political power. In
Pakistan, ruling Generals
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq (1977-1988) and
Pervez Musharraf (1999 to present) have held singular
referendums to elect themselves
President of Pakistan for a further several years, as well as
general elections voting in civilian Prime Ministers (politically subordinate to the President).
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". In Latin America the threat of
communism was often used, while in the Middle East the desire to oppose
Israel and later
Islamic fundamentalism proved an important motivating pattern. 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.
Although there are exceptions, military regimes usually have little respect for
human rights and use whatever means necessary to silence political opponents. A military regime is also rarely willing to leave power unless forced to by popular revolt, whether active or imminent.
Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East have been common areas for military dictatorships. One of the reasons for this is the fact that the military often has more cohesion and
institutional structure than most of the civilian institutions of society.
Military dictatorships can be contrasted with other forms of dictatorship. For example, in most current and historical
Communist states, the center of power rests among civilian party officials, and very careful measures (such as
political commissars and frequent rotations) are taken to prevent the military from exercising independent authority.
Since the 1990s, military dictatorships have become less common. Reasons for this include the fact that military dictatorships no longer have much international legitimacy, as well as the fact that many militaries having unsuccessfully ruled many nations are now inclined not to become involved in political disputes. Furthermore, the end of the
Cold War and the collapse of the
Soviet Union made it more difficult for military regimes to use the threat of
communism as justification for their actions, or to gain support from foreign sources.
As the Cold War began to wind down, in the Middle East, regimes such as those of
Syria and
Egypt that were once clearly military dictatorships have switched to other forms of
despotism.
Cases
The following lists are probably incomplete, especially before World War II.
Nations currently under military rule
Nations with a legacy of military dictatorship(s)
In Africa
Algeria (1965-1976)
Burkina Faso (1966-1971, 1974-1978, 1980-1991)
Burundi (1966-1993)
Central African Republic (1966-1976, 1981-1993, 2003-2005)
Chad (1975-1979)
Republic of the Congo (1968-1970)
Egypt (1952-1956)
Equatorial Guinea (1979-1987)
Ethiopia (1974-1987)
The Gambia (1994-1996)
Ghana (1966-1969, 1972-1979, 1981-1993)
Guinea (1984-1993)
Liberia (1980-1984)
Libya (1969-present)
Madagascar (1972-1975)
Mauritania (1978-1992, 2005-2007)
Niger (1974-1991, 1996-1999)
Nigeria (1966-1979, 1983-1999)
Rwanda (1973-1994)
Sierra Leone (1967-1968, 1992-1996, 1997-1998)
Somalia (1969-1991; then local militia rule)
Sudan (1958-1964, 1969-1986, 1989-1993)
Uganda (1971-1979, 1980, 1985-1986)
In the Americas
Argentina (1930-1932, 1943-1946, 1955-58, 1966-1973, 1976-1983)
Bolivia (1964-1982)
Brazil (1930–1934, 1937–1945, 1964-1985)
Chile (1924, 1927-1931, 1973-1990)
Colombia (1953-1957)
Cuba (1933-1940, 1952-1959)
Dominican Republic (1844-1916, 1930-1978)
Ecuador (1963-1966, 1972-1979)
El Salvador (1931-1982)
Guatemala (1921-1986)
Haiti (1957-1990, 1991-1994)
Honduras (1963-1971, 1972-1982)
Nicaragua (1936-1979)
Panama (1968-1989)
Paraguay (1940-1948, 1949-1989)
Peru (1821-1845, 1866-1872, 1928-1933, 1948-1956, 1968-1980)
Suriname (1980-1988)
Uruguay (1973-1985)
Venezuela (1908-1935, 1952-1958)
In Asia
Bangladesh (1975-1990)
Burma/Myanmar (1962-present)
Republic of China (local militia rule 1916-1928; military rule 1928-1949 and in Taiwan 1949-1978)
Indonesia (1967-1998)
Iraq (1958-1979)
Japan (1932-1945)
Cambodia (1970-1975)
South Vietnam (1963-1975)
Thailand (1933-1944, 1947-1973, 1976-1992, 2006-2008)
South Korea (under Japanese colonization 1932-1945; military rule 1961-1988)
Pakistan (1977-1988 and 1999-2007)
In Europe
Greece (1967-1974)
Poland (1926-1935, 1981-1989)
Turkey (1960-1961, 1971-1973, 1980-1983)
Portugal (1926-1932; 1974-1976 during democratic transition)
Romania (1940-1944)
Spain (1923-1930; 1936-1975)
Italy (1943-1945)Further Information
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