Examining Coup-proofing in Democracies Up-close: The Case of Spain in Civil-Military Relations

Year 2020, , 145 - 185, 31.01.2020

Rukiye Ebru İlter Akarçay

https://doi.org/10.21550/sosbilder.591754

Abstract

Coup-proofing is defined as the entire set of
strategies intended to ensure the continuity of democratic regimes and their
alternatives. Even though the claim that democratic political systems can
encounter coup risks is acknowledged by studies on coup-proofing, the
precautions placed under analysis have predominantly been of the type that
political systems with a poor democratic record can implement. The experiences
of political systems undergoing democratic transition and consolidation when
confronted by coup attempts and the steps they take to prevent the repetition
of these attempts have rarely been scrutinized. The principal aim of this study
is to trace the coup-proofing strategies in political systems that are
democratizing. Spain’s journey points out how lessons contributing to the
advance of democracy can be learnt from coup attempts and the possibility of
repetition can be contained. The steps taken by Spain, which is considered to
constitute an example and a model in transitioning to democracy, suggests what
measures can be put into practice without eroding the quality of the democratic
regime. While coup-proofing was aimed through political liberalization,
transformation of the composition of the military cadres via appointments,
appeasement, limited resort to punitive measures, and rule through assembling,
the search for international alliances was the method resorted to in managing
risks involved in the process. The main finding is that, in a manner that
diverges from the theoretical discussion on coup-proofing, it is possible to
safeguard democratic consolidation in the company of steps geared towards
observing a minimal degree of punitive measures and assembling under one roof.

Keywords

coup-proofing, transition to democracy, democratic consolidation, civil-military relations, Spain

DEMOKRASİLERDE DARBE GEÇİRMEZLİĞE YAKINDAN BAKMAK: SİVİL-ASKER İLİŞKİLERİNDE İSPANYA ÖRNEĞİ

Abstract

Darbe geçirmezlik, demokratik rejimler ve
alternatiflerinin devamlılığını sağlamaya yönelik bir stratejiler bütünü olarak
tanımlanmaktadır. Demokratik sistemlerin de darbe riskiyle karşılaşabildikleri
savı kabul görse de, irdelenen önlemler çoğunlukla zayıf demokratik karnelere
sahip sistemlerin uygulayabilecekleri türdendir. Demokrasiye geçiş ve pekişme
dönemlerindeki darbe girişimleri ve bu girişimlerin tekrarının önünü almak için
atılan adımlar seyrek olarak mercek altına alınmaktadır. Çalışmanın başlıca
hedefi, demokratikleşen sistemlerde darbe geçirmezlik stratejilerinin izlerini
aramaktır. İspanya’nın serüveni, darbe girişimlerinden demokrasinin gelişimine
katkı yapacak dersler çıkarılabileceği ve tekrarlanma ihtimalinin önünün
alınabileceğine işaret etmektedir. Demokrasiye geçişte örnek teşkil ettiğine
inanılan İspanya’nın adımları, demokratik rejimin kalitesini zedelemeden
uygulanabilecek önlemlere ilişkin fikir vermektedir. Siyasal liberalleşme,
atamalarla kadro yapısını dönüştürme, yatıştırma, sınırlı cezalandırma,
birleştirerek yönetme yollarıyla darbe geçirmezlik hedeflenirken, uluslararası
ittifak arayışları süreçteki riskleri yönetmek için başvurulan yöntem olarak
öne çıkmaktadır. Temel bulgu, darbe geçirmezlik üzerine süregelen kuramsal
tartışmalardan ayrışacak şekilde, asgari cezalandırma ile tek çatı altında
toplamaya yönelik adımlarla demokratik pekişmenin güvence altına
alınabildiğidir.

Keywords

darbe geçirmezlik, demokrasiye geçiş, demokratik pekişme, sivil-asker ilişkileri, İspanya, İspanya

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