CPO 3304 Week 3 The Military in Politics and Transitions to Democracy

Introduction to Military and Politics in Latin America

  • Overview of the interrelation between military involvement and political transitions in Latin America, specifically focusing on Chile as a case study.

    • Left image: Military junta led by General Pinochet in a coup d'état.

    • Right image: President Sebastián Piñera, democratically elected with military support.

Military Roles in Politics

  • Different roles of the military:

    • Military Dictatorships:

      • Example: Pinochet’s rule; military in power.

    • Democratic Support:

      • Example: Military supports democratically elected leaders, promoting stability.

Characteristics of the Military in Latin America

Tradition of Caudillismo

  • Caudillismo: Tradition of strong military leaders as political figures originating from colonial rule.

Historical Conflicts

  • History of

    • Independence Wars,

    • Civil wars,

    • Regional conflicts over borders and ideologies.

  • Resulting in a military with a generally right-wing ideology, often aligning with conservative and business elites.

Military as a Fourth Branch of Government

  • The military has often acted independently, acting like a fourth branch of government rather than being subordinated under civilian leadership.

Gender Dynamics in Military Structures

  • Male dominance within military ranks and government, though recent shifts are beginning to occur.

Ideological Background of the Military

  • General Right-Wing Ideology:

    • Historically, tend to support conservative policies and maintain status quo, reluctant to relinquish power.

  • Exceptions:

    • Cuba (Fidel Castro’s left-wing military dictatorship).

    • Peru (Juan Velasco Alvarado's military regime).

Military Interventions in Politics

Role of Democracy

  • Military’s role in stabilizing democratic regimes.

  • Peacekeeping Operations:

    • Contemporary avoidance of political intervention but remains influential in maintaining stability.

Military Power in Latin America

  • Breakdown of countries based on military personnel and structures:

    • Mexico and Brazil have larger militaries due to size; Colombia and Venezuela maintain mid-level military forces.

Trust in Military Institutions

  • Military’s reputation as one of the most trusted institutions in several Latin American countries:

    • Trust levels compared to the Church in various nations like Argentina and Brazil.

Analysis of Military’s Evolving Role

  • Increasingly seen as moderating force in political crises, influenced by mass protests or governmental instability.

  • Case studies of military actions in Latin America and reflection on past lessons from failed military involvement.

Understanding Coup d’états

Definition of Coup d'état

  • Coup: Overthrow of government by a fraction of government agents.

  • Instances of coups across nations in the Americas, with nearly 50% being successful.

Types of Coups

  1. Traditional Coups: Led by military, establishing a junta.

  2. Civil-Military Coups: Collaboration between military and civilians.

  3. Self-Coups: Leaders attempt to consolidate power (e.g., Alberto Fujimori in Peru).

Examples of Coups by Country

  • Argentina: Frequent coups throughout 20th century.

  • Bolivia: Regular government changes through coups.

  • Chile: Notable for the Pinochet coup of 1973.

  • Cuba and Brazil: Illustrate differing coup dynamics and outcomes.

Transition to Democracy

Defining Democracy

  • Democracy: Governance based on the consent of the majority.

  • Ongoing process of improvement, challenging to define a "full" democracy.

Democratization Process

  • Waves of Democratization: Often influenced by regional and global contexts. Samuel Huntington's notion of three waves of democracy and redemocratization, especially in Latin America.

  • key transitions:

    • Peru (1980)

    • Argentina (1983)

    • Uruguay (1984)

    • Brazil (1985)

Challenges to Democratization

  • Obstacles include political instability, backsliding, and executive overreach.

  • Observations of declining traditional forms of military coups and rising forms of democratic erosion (promissory coups, competitive authoritarianism).

Recent Trends

  • Observation of satisfaction with democratic governance in various Latin American countries based on several surveys showing dissatisfaction.

Conclusion

  • Overview of military impacts on political transitions and contemporary issues surrounding governance in Latin America.

  • Encouragement for further inquiry into specific country transitions and the broader implications for democracy in the region.