Does the United States have any experience with military coups?

The United States has no experience with either—notwithstanding charges that Abraham Lincoln went too far in amassing power during the civil war. In theory, military coups may save democracy from leaders who attempt to abort democracy or block the entry of a newly elected leader.

Are military coups against elected leaders undemocratic?

Military coups against democratically elected leaders are undemocratic insofar as they substitute the threat or use of armed force for the results of elections—even if there is disagreement about how those elections are run.

How many coups has the US successfully executed in its history?

After all, they’ve successfully executed 3.5 of them over the last half-century: in 1960, 1971, 1980, and 1997 (the last being a half-coup since the military, rather than intervening directly, pressured the government to resign).

Will the attempted military coup in Turkey have more Americans considering military?

The attempted military coup in Turkey and the possibility of a President Trump may have more Americans considering the military option. News of the military coup in Turkey was dribbling in on Saturday afternoon when I was having lunch with a group of six friends in West Virginia.

What is the risk of a US coup in 2020?

The CoupCast model at One Earth Future assesses the risk of a coup in the U.S. in 2020 at only 0.39 percent.

What are the different types of coups?

The Colpus dataset distinguishes between two coup types. Regime change coups—or coups de regime —alter the “rules of the game” and identity of the entire ruling group. Leader reshuffling coups—or coups de chef —only alter the identity of the top leader, without making fundamental changes to political institutions.

Are there any cases where executive autogolpes triggered military counter-coup attempts?

There are two post-Cold War era cases where executive autogolpes triggered military counter-coup attempts. In May 1993, Guatemalan President Jorge Serrano Elías dissolved Congress and the Supreme Court with the support of the military high command.