A Military coup d’état is the sudden overthrow of a government by members of the military. It can occur for a number of reasons, including a lack of popular support in elections, a perception that a current government is corrupt or illegitimate, and internal disputes over power. A military takeover can lead to a dictatorship that lasts for years or even decades, and its legacy can affect future generations.
Military coups are largely driven by the ambitions of individual commanders and their desire to seize control. They are often backed by groups of civilians that rally in support or assume important governing roles alongside the new junta. Civilian participation in a coup is one of the most overlooked aspects of the phenomenon, but it allows researchers and international observers to better contextualize military takeovers and understand why they fail or succeed.
The most successful coups in terms of longevity and democratic legitimacy have been backed by large groups of citizens. In contrast, those whose regimes are most likely to be short-lived or to revert back to dictatorship tend to have a smaller pool of supporters and civilian allies.
Across the world, there have been 492 coup attempts or successes since 1950, and Africa has seen the most with 220. This trend is driven by factors like the relative poverty of many African countries, which can allow coup leaders to justify their actions as necessary for economic or social change, and the tendency for military rulers in Africa to favor authoritarian political systems that limit civil liberties and democracy.