Can Military Governments be a good thing (for a while)?

[Dayuhan]

A good thing? No. A necessary thing, maybe, in some very rare circumstances, if the people to be governed accept it.

Anybody who starts thinking a military government would be a good thing for somebody else needs to be hit hard on the head before he has any chance to put that idea into action.

[TheCurmudgeon]

I don't have a copy and would love to know.

As far as I can see, military coup is just another option for a bloodless transition. It depends on the motivation of the military. I don't think it needs to be automatically and arbitrarily attacked.

I like the model the Egyptian's have take so far. The choice of the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court was a nice choice.

For a long time the Turkish military guaranteed secular government that Ataturk tried to establish. That kind of dedication to an ideal can act as a stabilizing factor or it can be used to gain personal political power.

[jmm99]

The OP title, Can Military Governments be a good thing (for a while)?, immediately brought to mind two questions:

1. "Good thing" for whom ?

2. "Good thing" for what ?

Each has, I expect, a dozen or more answers; as well as a similar plethora of answers for the counterpoint questions:

1. "Bad thing" for whom ?

2. "Bad thing" for what ?

--------------------------
Links to USMC Small Wars Manual (Wiki, Manual and NWC Book Review). The most important concept is the end goal, chap. 15, "Withdrawal".

I expect a spirited discussion would evolve from consideration of whether the USMC interventions in Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua were "good things" or "bad things".

Regards

Mike

[slapout9]

I don't have a copy and would love to know.

As far as I can see, military coup is just another option for a bloodless transition. It depends on the motivation of the military. I don't think it needs to be automatically and arbitrarily attacked.

I define good as being better than a decent into internal Civil War. The Army appears to be trying to preserve the primarry purpose of Government which is to Protect and Provide the

jmm99 has provided several references for the manual. Chapter 13 on Military Government appears to be what the Egyptian Army is in so far as they are being selective as to who and what is replaced until elections can be established.