Coup d'état
Illegal seizure of power by military or elites.
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A coup d'état is an illegal, open attempt by the military or other government elites to remove a sitting leader or leadership. When a leader who originally gained power legally then uses illegal methods to remain in office, it is called a self-coup. The French term translates literally to "stroke of state" or "blow of state."
Outcomes
Between 1950 and 2010, an estimated 457 coup attempts took place, about half of which succeeded. The highest frequency of attempts occurred in the mid-1960s, with additional peaks in the mid-1970s and early 1990s. Coups after the Cold War have been more likely to lead to democratic systems than those during the Cold War, though most coups still reinforce authoritarian rule.
Various factors influence whether a coup happens and whether it succeeds. Once underway, a coup's success largely depends on its ability to convince others that it will prevail.
The rate of successful coups has declined over time. When a coup fails in an authoritarian system, it often strengthens the ruler's power. The total number of past coups is a strong predictor of future ones, a pattern known as the "coup trap."
Coup-proofing
Regimes sometimes use "coup-proofing" strategies to make it difficult for a small group to seize power. These can include placing family members, ethnic allies, or religious groups in key military positions and splitting up security agencies. However, this approach reduces military effectiveness because loyalty is valued over experience in filling important roles. Regimes that came to power through revolution face far fewer coup attempts.
Etymology
The term coup d'État entered French usage relatively recently, though the concept is ancient. An early English translation from French appeared in 1785 in a printed letter from a French merchant commenting on a royal decree restricting British wool imports. The first known published use in an English-language text was an editor's note in the London Morning Chronicle in 1804, reporting arrests by Napoleon in France. The phrase later appeared in the British press to describe executions carried out by Napoleon's secret police.
Palace coup
Related terms include the "soft coup" (or silent or bloodless coup), an illegal overthrow without force or violence. A "palace coup" (or palace revolution) occurs when one faction within a ruling group displaces another; such events were common in Imperial China, among the Habsburgs, in Qatar's Al-Thani dynasty, and in Haiti, and most Russian tsars between 1725 and 1801 either seized power or were overthrown in palace coups. The "putsch" (from Swiss German for "knock") refers to a minority reactionary coup, first used for the 1839 Züriputsch in Switzerland, and later for attempts in Weimar Germany, the 1961 Algiers putsch, the 1991 Soviet August Putsch, and the 2023 Wagner Group rebellion.
A pronunciamiento (Spanish for "pronouncement") is a formal declaration deposing a government and justifying a new one, distinct from a coup in that the military hands power to a civilian government. A cuartelazo ("barracks revolt") begins with a mutiny in specific military garrisons that sparks a wider revolt. Other types of power seizures are sometimes called "coups with adjectives," a subjective term with political and analytical implications.
Quick Facts
- Field
- Political science, history
- Known for
- Illegal overthrow of a government by military or elites
- Peak periods
- mid-1960s
- mid-1970s
- early 1990s
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The phrase coup d'état is of relatively recent coinage, though the concept has featured in politics since antiquity. In the British press, the phrase came to be used to describe various murders by Napoleon's alleged secret police. Most coup attempts occurred in the mid-1960s, but there were also large numbers in the mid-1970s and the early 1990s.
Coups occurring in the post-Cold War period have been more likely to result in democratic systems than Cold War coups, though coups still mostly perpetuate authoritarianism. The number of successful coups has decreased over time. Failed coups in authoritarian systems are likely to strengthen the power of the authoritarian ruler.
The cumulative number of coups is a strong predictor of future coups, a phenomenon referred to as the 'coup trap'. Related terms include self-coup, soft coup (illegal overthrow without force), palace coup (faction within ruling group displaces another), putsch (minority reactionary coup), pronunciamiento (formal declaration deposing government), and cuartelazo (barracks revolt). Regimes that came to power with revolutions face coups at a much higher rate.
The Radio Address and the Junta's Internal Fracture
At 3:00 am on 27 May 1960, Colonel Alparslan Türkeş took to the airwaves to announce that the armed forces had assumed control across the entire country. His broadcast declared the operation completed without a single casualty and imposed a nationwide curfew, urging citizens to cooperate with the military in reestablishing the nationally desired democratic regime. The following day, General Cemal Gürsel told reporters that the coup's sole objective was to restore a fair, clean, and solid democracy and return governance to the people's free choice. Yet beneath this rhetoric, a deep ideological rift was already forming.
A younger faction orbiting Türkeş favored prolonged military rule modeled on the Committee of Union and Progress or Atatürk's early regime. Their attempt to dismiss 147 university professors triggered a backlash from senior junta members who insisted on a swift return to multiparty politics. The resulting purge sent Türkeş and his allies into exile abroad.
Reader's Guide
The coup d'état is a central concept in political history, representing a recurring method of power transfer outside legal channels. Coups have been most common in Africa and the Americas, and least common in Europe. The phenomenon of the 'coup trap' indicates that past coups predict future ones. Coup-proofing strategies, such as placing loyal family or ethnic groups in the military, can reduce military effectiveness.
The term's etymology from French and its early use in English journalism highlight its modern coinage despite ancient practice. The variety of related terms—self-coup, soft coup, palace coup, putsch, pronunciamiento, cuartelazo—reflects the different forms and contexts of such seizures of power. Understanding coups is essential for analyzing political instability, authoritarian resilience, and the conditions under which democracies may emerge or fail.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a coup d'état?
A coup d'état is an illegal, overt move by a military group or other political elites to forcibly remove an incumbent leader or government from power. It is distinct from a self-coup, where a legally elected leader attempts to retain authority through unconstitutional means.
How does a self-coup differ from a standard coup d'état?
In a standard coup, an outside faction such as the military seizes power from a sitting government. In a self-coup, the sitting leader—who originally took office through legal channels—uses illegal methods to cling to or expand that power.
During which periods were coups most prevalent globally?
The mid-1960s, mid-1970s, and early 1990s are widely recognized as peak windows for coup activity around the world. These waves often coincided with Cold War realignments, post-colonial state-building, and the collapse of authoritarian regimes.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Coup d'état (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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