JOURNAL ARTICLE

Power Sharing and Coups d'état in Postconflict Settings: Evidence From Burundi and Guinea-Bissau.

  • Published In: Armed Forces & Society (Sage Publications Inc.), 2024, v. 50, n. 1. P. 274 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: De Bruin, Erica 3 of 3

Abstract

This article examines how power-sharing provisions in peace agreements, designed to integrate former rebels into postconflict states and prevent civil war recurrence, can paradoxically increase the risk of coups d'état. It identifies two distinct causal mechanisms: power sharing motivates incumbent elites to stage coups to prevent a decline in their status, and it provides former rebels with resources and access that facilitate successful coups. Case studies of Burundi and Guinea-Bissau illustrate these dynamics, with incumbent-led coup attempts occurring during implementation in Burundi and a successful rebel-led coup following implementation in Guinea-Bissau. The article highlights the complexity of power sharing as a conflict resolution tool and calls for further research on the conditions influencing coup risks in ethnically divided postconflict societies.

Additional Information

  • Source:Armed Forces & Society (Sage Publications Inc.). 2024/01, Vol. 50, Issue 1, p274
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:History
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:0095-327X
  • DOI:10.1177/0095327X221108370
  • Accession Number:173948906
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Armed Forces & Society (Sage Publications Inc.) is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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