Coercion and Governance

This volume examines the military’s role and civil–military relations across sixteen Asian countries, linking changes in military power to state-building, economic development, and shifts in the international system. It argues that the military’s political influence rises or falls with the degree of coercion used in governance, and that lasting civilian supremacy depends on strong political, moral, and institutional authority.

Overall, the book finds that military power in Asia is declining, with most countries now under civilian rule despite continued military dominance in a few cases such as Burma, Pakistan, and North Korea. While civil–military relations remain contested in many democratizing states, the study concludes that democratic civilian control is likely to strengthen and endure in the long term.

Author: Muthiah Alagappa

Publisher: Stanford University Press

Released Date: 2002

ISBN: 9780804742276