Military Dictatorship: An In-depth Analysis of Authoritarian Rule in Armed Forces

By Fouad Sabry

What is Military Dictatorship

A military dictatorship, or a military regime, is a type of dictatorship in which power is held by one or more military officers. Military dictatorships are led by either a single military dictator, known as a strongman, or by a council of military officers known as a military junta. They are most often formed by military coups or by the empowerment of the military through a popular uprising in times of domestic unrest or instability. The military nominally seeks power to restore order or fight corruption, but the personal motivations of military officers will vary.

How you will benefit

(I) Insights, and validations about the following topics:

Chapter 1: Military dictatorship

Chapter 2: Dictator

Chapter 3: Dictatorship

Chapter 4: Military junta

Chapter 5: Political system

Chapter 6: Democratization

Chapter 7: Miguel Primo de Rivera

Chapter 8: Sani Abacha

Chapter 9: Caudillo

Chapter 10: Political strongman

(II) Answering the public top questions about military dictatorship.

Who this book is for

Professionals, undergraduate and graduate students, enthusiasts, hobbyists, and those who want to go beyond basic knowledge or information for any kind of Military Dictatorship.

• Language: English
• Publisher: One Billion Knowledgeable
• Release date: Jun 19, 2024

Book preview

Chapter 1: Military dictatorship

One sort of dictatorship is known as a military dictatorship, and it is characterized by the fact that authority is held by one or more military commanders who are acting on behalf of the military. One military dictator, also known as a strongman, or a military junta, which is a council of military officers, is the person in charge of a military dictatorship. Strongmen are also known as military dictators. The majority of the time, they are founded as a result of military coups or the empowering of the military through a public uprising during periods of domestic upheaval or instability. However, the personal goals of military personnel may include increased financing for the military or a reduction in civilian authority of the military. Although the military is officially seeking power to restore order or fight corruption, the military's primary objective is to fight corruption.

In a military dictatorship, the balance of power is dependent on the dictator's ability to maintain the approval of the military by concessions and appeasement while simultaneously utilizing force to quash opposition. There is a possibility that military strongmen will attempt to consolidate power independently of the military, which would result in the establishment of personalist nations. In the military, military dictators are constantly threatened with removal by their fellow military officers, and counter-coups are common against military governments that are unable to sustain support among their base of supporters. It is also possible for the military to become politicized, which can lead to factionalism. Furthermore, the military is frequently prepared to voluntarily relinquish authority rather than risk having the military become unstable. The majority of the time, military dictatorships are less interested in political matters than other types of regimes. This is because their policies are primarily geared around providing advantages to the military as an institution. In comparison to other regimes, military dictatorship is maintained through the use of force, however military dictators frequently establish separate security forces in order to maintain political power in a manner that is independent from the military.

During the post-classical period in Asia, there were instances of early military dictatorships, such as those led by military leaders in Korea and Japan. It was during the 19th century in Latin America that the modern military dictatorship was first established, and it was during the early 20th century in Europe that it was further refined. During the time of the Cold War, there was a rebirth of military dictatorship, and in the 1960s, new military dictatorships were founded in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The majority of military dictatorships came to an end with the end of the Cold War, which coincided with a fall in the number of military dictatorships that existed during the 1970s and 1980s. The 21st century is characterized by the existence of a limited number of military dictatorships, the majority of which are found outside of Africa and Southeast Asia.

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

The reason for the military's presence in a particular nation may influence whether or not it makes an attempt to seize control. It is more likely that a military will comply with a civilian government when international adversaries demand a stronger national defense. This is because the civilian government is more likely to provide for the military.

In order to establish legitimacy, a military dictatorship will frequently present itself as rescuing the nation from the corrupt or myopic politicians of the civilian government. They will justify their position as neutral arbitrators by citing their membership in the armed forces, which in many countries are nominally expected to be apolitical institutions.

The length of time that military dictatorships have been in power and their level of stability can vary greatly, even within the same region, The fact that individuals in control under military dictatorships frequently do not want to remain in that position sets them apart from other types of regimes. If the military's involvement in politics looks to be having a detrimental impact on the military's cohesiveness, legitimacy, or interests, then a significant number of military officers will make the decision to stop the military's involvement in politics.

In order to maintain their hold on power, military dictatorships, which are authoritarian governments, rely on the restriction of democratic processes. The development of democratic institutions is hampered by the concentration of power as well as the restriction of individuals' liberties, including the right to freedom of speech and due process.

One of the most significant factors that determines how power is distributed under a military dictatorship is the chain of command that is utilized by the military. It is common for the highest-ranking officer among those involved in a coup to be the dictator in a military dictatorship. Furthermore, the hierarchical organization of the military creates an environment that is conducive to effective control in a dictatorship that is under the command of military officers.

When determining whether or not a government is a military dictatorship, one can apply a variety of definitions and criteria according to their own preferences. Some academics may consider any authoritarian regime that is commanded by a military officer to be a military dictatorship. On the other hand, more stringent definitions may demand particular requirements of the military as an institution that is professionalized.

There is a wide range of variation in the manner in which military dictatorships operate, the ideologies that they promote, and the policies that they implement.

Either military dictatorships rule directly, putting into effect a particular ideology and vision, or they rule as arbitrators, viewing themselves as protectors of the nation and the government. Both of these forms of administration are possible. It is common for these arbitrator