POLS 3060 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Military Elite, Arab Spring
23 Mar 2017
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Lecture 14: comparing the role of the military. Capacity and the will of the coercive state eva bellin. Bellin questions the conditions under which authoritarian regimes persist and fall. Focuses on the will and capacity of the coercive apparatus: for bellin, during a revolution, the military is the most important institution within the coercive apparatus. Capacity: the physical wherewithal to muster men and the material necessary to repress, determined by, for example, fiscal health. Will: determined, for example, by, level of social mobilization (ie size of protest) level of institutionalization. Bellin argues that capacity was not the determining factor in determining whether or not the three militaries stood by their three respective presidents. In all three cases, the capacity was adequate. Using lethal force against civilians threatens the image of the military as defender of nation. If crowds peaceful, threatens maintaining security and order. Threatens disciple and morale (friends among protesters?)
