Threats to Democracy-Civil-Military Relations in America and Britain Present and Future.
Abstract
In almost all countries the relationship between the military and civilians is complex and sensitive. It inevitably carries with it the possibility of disagreement and discord. The United States' and Britain's armed forces have a long tradition of subordination to civilian control. There have, however, been examples of minor infringements of this principle in both societies. In modern developed societies, however, military intervention in politics through open confrontation with the government is rarely the major problem. Nonetheless, this essay considers such a possibility and whether the armed forces of America or Britain might in any sense represent a threat to democracy by a different route. In this respect, the paper considers three future challenges to civil-military relations: British defense policy under labour, military intervention in domestic security and the 'military-civilian' within American government.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA186695
Entities
People
- Nicholas C. Rusling
Organizations
- Air War College