Graphic by | Zhizhou Wang Source | Global instances of coups from 1950 to 2010: A new dataset
On 15 July 2016, a coup d'état was attempted in Turkey against the government. After that, coup has been a popular topic among the public as well as media. But what's the definition of coup? How do we define a successful coup?
With the data from Global instances of coups from 1950 to 2010: A new dataset, the graphic below presents all coups from 1950 to 2010. Hover over the square you would find more details!
Bellow is a list of all scholars from the article, who had studies related to coups over years. Click on the scholar's name to expore more about scholar's theory on. Below the graphic you can see various definition from different scholars about coup as well as the article about it. While inside the graphic, blue squares represent the successful coups under the selected scholar's theory, and the red squares represent the unsuccessful ones, gray squares indicate that the coup is not included in the scholar's study.
It's sorted by year.
Years covered: 1958 - 2004 Source: African Military coups d'état, 1956-2001: Frequency, Trends and Distribution Target: national government Perpetrator: military, security, and/or police Tactics: violence... may be negligible "For the purposes of this study, the displacements of government personnel or constitutional relationships lasting at least one week have been classified as 'successful coups d'itat'."
Years covered: 1960 – 2006 Source: Coup d’e´tat events Target: executive authority and office Perpetrator: ruling or political elites Tactics: forceful seizure " In order for a coup to be considered “successful” effective authority must be exercised by new executive for at least one month."
Years covered: 1945 – 2000 Source: Journal of Conflict Resolution Target: regime Perpetrator: small military coalitions Tactics: undefined No specific coup success definition found.
Years covered: 1946 – 1999 Source: Cross-National Time-Series Data Archive Target: top government elite... nation’s power structure Perpetrator: undefined, includes revolutions Tactics: forced changes No specific coup success definition found.
Years covered: 1950 – 2000 Source: Latin rhythms: Coup cycles in theamericas Target: national government Perpetrator: military leader; executive him/herself Tactics: military force (or threat of) "An attempted coup is an unsuccessful effort to illegally remove the national government...with coup attempts breeding more coup attempts, regardless of whether or not they are successful"
Years covered: 1958 – 1974 Source: The Man on Horseback: The Role of the Military in Politics Target: civilian authorities Perpetrator: armed forces Tactics: sanction (or threat of) No specific coup success definition found.
Years covered: 1946 – 1975 Source: Military Institutions and Coercion in the Developing Countries. Target: existing regime Perpetrator: organized factions Tactics: undefined "I still maintain that the most successful military regimes - if one can use this term - are, or will be in the long run, those that are able to share political power with or even transform themselves into more civilian-based political institutions."
Years covered: 1945 – 1972 Source: The Military in the Third World Target: undefined Perpetrator: regular armed troops Tactics: use or threat of use of armed forces No book access found online.
Years covered: 1945 – 1986 Source: Coup d’e´tat: A Practical Manual Target: government, establishment Perpetrator: soldiers, politicians, mercenaries Tactics: undefined No book access found online.
Years covered: 1950 – 1985 Source: The Likelihood of Coups Target: government Perpetrator: civil or military Tactics: threat or use of violence "...considers a coup to be successful if it leads to the ‘installation in power of a government of the conspirators’ own choosing'."
Years covered: 1946 – 1970 Source: Grievances of Military Coup-Makers Target: chief executive Perpetrator: regular armed forces Tactics: use or threat of force "Many scholars have followed Thompson in considering a coup to be successful if the ‘postcoup ruling arrangement’ remains in place for at least a week."
Years covered: 1945 – 1967 Source: Coup d’e´tat: A Practical Handbook Target: government Perpetrator: segment of the state apparatus Tactics: conspiracy No book access found online.
Years covered: 1955 – 1984 Source: Modernization and political instability: Coups d’e´tat in Africa, 1955–1985 Target: regime Perpetrator: military or security forces Tactics: undefined No specific coup success definition found.
Years covered: 1948 – 1982 Source: World Handbook of Political and Social Indicators III, 1948–1982. Part 2: Daily Political Events Data. Target: chief executive Perpetrator: groups, cliques, cabals, parties and factions Tactics: threatened or actual coercion No specific coup success definition found.
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