Civil-military Relations

What is the impact of civil-military relations on the consolidation of democracy and the promotion of military and economic cooperation at the regional level? This volume is the first to provide a wealth of comparative experiences which demonstrates that a focus on civilian domination distorts the complexity of the civil-military relationship and does not appreciate the multiple paths to democracy and peace. Focusing on political values and institutional rules for political participation, David Mares has brought together an international cast in an accessible and valuable book for policymakers, academics, and general readers. }With the end of the Cold War the attention of policymakers, political activists, and academics has focused on the factors which promote democracy and regional peace. From both a theoretical and empirical perspective, the contributors to this volume examine the claim that civilian domination is the only form compatible with democracy and regional peace.
By focusing on political values and the institutional rules of politics, the authors not only dispute this claim but clarify the conditions under which a partnership between civilians and the military can help promote both. The authors provide in-depth analyses of the normative and institutional aspects of the civil-military relationship to demonstrate that it is the politics of the relationship rather than its form that influences the likelihood of democracy and regional peace. Their analysis provides new reasons for expecting that democracy and regional peace can proliferate in the postCold War world.As a study of civil-military relations in twelve countries across Latin America, Asia, and Europe, Civil-Military Relations is an accessible and valuable book for policymakers, academics, and general readers. }