Civil-Military Relations in the Third World

Abstract

The literature on civil-military relations in Third World countries first has examined mili tary interventions and next the consequences of military rule. These consequences have been understood largely in terms of social and economic outcomes. We should be examin ing civil-military relations with a view to finding out how changes in boundaries and power relationships affect political processes. The concepts developed by students of the sociology of armed forces, especially corporatism and professionalism, are still very rekvant, but the impact of more or less professionalism or corporate identity is relevant not just for civilian control of the military but for the widest set of civilian-military interac tions. The next necessary step in the study of civil-military relations in the Third World is fine-grained descriptions of ongoing civil-military interactions. It is especially important to analyze the simultaneous functioning of military personnel in military and nonmilitary roles.