Citation

Pilster U, Böhmelt T. Confl. Manage. Peace Sci. 2011; 28(4): 331-350.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0738894211413062

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study examines the influence of civil-military relations on military effectiveness. More specifically, we investigate how coup-proofing, that is, the strategies and tactics employed to prevent the military from seizing power, affects battlefield performance. The main argument claims that coup-proofing has a negative impact on soldiers' leadership qualities, initiative, and the ability to coordinate different military units. Ultimately, the higher a country's coup-proofing efforts relative to its opponent, the worse its effectiveness on the battlefield. We test this hypothesis using data on battlefield outcomes and coup-proofing between 1967 and 1999.