Coup d'état: Difference between revisions

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(Created page with "A '''coup d'état''', also called a '''coup''', is the act of seizure and removal of a government by opposing forces, but not necessarily of the state. As such, a coup does not always lead to the overthrow of the dominating class. Coups have been used and have also been instrumental in both socialist revolutions, counter-revolutions and bourgeois revolutions. == Etymology...")
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A '''coup d'état''', also called a '''coup''', is the act of seizure and removal of a [[government]] by opposing forces, but not necessarily of the [[state]]. As such, a coup does not always lead to the overthrow of the [[Social class|dominating class]]. Coups have been used and have also been instrumental in both [[Proletarian revolution|socialist revolutions]], [[Counterrevolution|counter-revolutions]] and [[Bourgeois revolution|bourgeois revolutions]].
A '''coup d'état''', also called a '''coup''', is the act of overthrowing a [[government]], but not necessarily the [[state]]. As such, a coup does not always lead to the overthrow of the [[Ruling class|dominating class]]. Coups have been used and have been instrumental in [[Proletarian revolution|socialist revolutions]], [[Counterrevolution|counter-revolutions]] and [[Bourgeois revolution|bourgeois revolutions]] alike.


== Etymology ==
== Etymology ==
The name comes from the French, and literally means a "blow of the state", and should be understood to mean a "knockout blow [to the government]".
The name comes from the French, and literally means a "blow of the state", and should be understood to mean a "knockout blow [to the government]".
== Types ==
=== Generals' coups ===
The most [[reactionary]] type of coups, which reverse the achievements of a [[national liberation]] struggle or an electoral victory against the ruling class, are usually led by generals and the top leadership of the military. The [[United States of America|United States]] and domestic elites often back such coups, which benefit the international [[Imperialism|imperialist]] [[bourgeoisie]].<ref name=":12222">{{Citation|author=[[Vijay Prashad]]|year=2008|title=The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World|chapter=La Paz|page=146–8|pdf=https://cloudflare-ipfs.com/ipfs/bafykbzaceascnzh26r5d6uitjjs2z7rflhaxlt7rboz5whzdf76qg6xxvecqq?filename=%28A%20New%20Press%20People%27s%20history%29%20Vijay%20Prashad%20-%20The%20darker%20nations_%20a%20people%27s%20history%20of%20the%20third%20world-The%20New%20Press%20%282008%29.pdf|publisher=The New Press|isbn=9781595583420|lg=https://libgen.rs/book/index.php?md5=9B40B96E830128A7FE0E0E887C06829F}}</ref>
Examples:
* [[People's Democratic Republic of Algeria|Algeria]] (1965)
* [[Republic of Indonesia|Indonesia]] (1965)
* [[First Republic of Ghana (1960–1966)|Ghana]] (1966)
* [[Republic of Uganda|Uganda]] (1971)
* [[Republic of Chile|Chile]] (1973)
* [[Republic of Chad|Chad]] (1975)
=== Colonels' coups ===
In countries that lack national liberation movements and have no hope for social reform, lower military officers such as colonels may lead progressive coups.<ref name=":12222" /> In some cases, even generals can lead progressive [[Nationalism|nationalist]] coups, such as [[Republic of Peru|Peru]] in 1968.<ref name=":02">{{Web citation|author=Sergio Rodriguez Gelfenstein|newspaper=[[Workers World]]|title=How long will Peru last? History weighs on today’s events|date=2020-12-18|url=https://www.workers.org/2020/12/53314/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606095617/https://www.workers.org/2020/12/53314/|archive-date=2023-06-06}}</ref>
Examples:
* [[Arab Republic of Egypt|Egypt]] (1952)
* [[Republic of Iraq|Iraq]] (1958)
* [[Republic of the Sudan|Sudan]] (1969)
* [[Libyan Arab Republic (1969–1977)|Libya]] (1969)
* [[Burkina Faso]] (1983)
* [[Republic of the Niger|Niger]] (2023)
== References ==
[[Category:Political terminology]]

Latest revision as of 10:17, 14 September 2023

A coup d'état, also called a coup, is the act of overthrowing a government, but not necessarily the state. As such, a coup does not always lead to the overthrow of the dominating class. Coups have been used and have been instrumental in socialist revolutions, counter-revolutions and bourgeois revolutions alike.

Etymology

The name comes from the French, and literally means a "blow of the state", and should be understood to mean a "knockout blow [to the government]".

Types

Generals' coups

The most reactionary type of coups, which reverse the achievements of a national liberation struggle or an electoral victory against the ruling class, are usually led by generals and the top leadership of the military. The United States and domestic elites often back such coups, which benefit the international imperialist bourgeoisie.[1]

Examples:

Colonels' coups

In countries that lack national liberation movements and have no hope for social reform, lower military officers such as colonels may lead progressive coups.[1] In some cases, even generals can lead progressive nationalist coups, such as Peru in 1968.[2]

Examples:

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Vijay Prashad (2008). The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World: 'La Paz' (pp. 146–8). [PDF] The New Press. ISBN 9781595583420 [LG]
  2. Sergio Rodriguez Gelfenstein (2020-12-18). "How long will Peru last? History weighs on today’s events" Workers World. Archived from the original on 2023-06-06.