(a)(i) Explain the term military. (ii) What is a military coup d' etat? (b) Outline three basic features of military rule.

Answer Details

(a)(i) Meaning of the term "military". The military refers to the organised armed forces of a state, comprising the army, the navy and the air force, which are established and trained to defend the country against external aggression and to maintain internal security. It is a disciplined, hierarchical institution built on the chain of command and obedience to orders.

(a)(ii) Meaning of a military coup d'etat. A military coup d'etat is the sudden, forceful and unconstitutional seizure of political power from a legitimate government by a section of the armed forces. It is an illegal change of government carried out by soldiers, usually by force or the threat of force, in violation of the constitution.

(b) Three basic features of military rule.

1. Rule by decree: The military governs by issuing decrees and edicts rather than by laws passed by an elected legislature, and these decrees are supreme and often cannot be questioned in the courts.
2. Suspension of the constitution and democratic institutions: The constitution is suspended in part or in whole, elected bodies are dissolved, and political parties and open political activity are banned.
3. Centralisation of power and a rigid command structure: Executive and legislative powers are fused in a Supreme Military Council or Ruling Council, and government operates through the hierarchical chain of command, with authority flowing from the top downwards.

Other features include the curtailment of fundamental human rights and the use of force to enforce obedience.