The History of Coup in Africa
Coup d’etats in Africa have a rich and varied history that has had a profound impact on the continent’s political structure. Coups have occurred often since the end of colonialism and continue to do so now, frequently leading to profound shifts in both political and economic systems. This article will examine the background, causes, and effects of coups in Africa to provide a holistic view of this significant period in the continent’s development.
In the decades after independence in the 1960s, Africa had its first wave of coup d’états. Political instability in the newly independent governments, which were stumbling through the process of nation-building, paved the way for military operations. The Nigerian and Ghanaian coups of 1966 are often cited as examples of military intervention in politics.
The economic crises, ethnic conflicts, and Cold War geopolitics of the 1970s and 1980s fueled an increase in the frequency of coups. Coups were frequently employed during this time by both domestic and foreign forces to further their own agendas. Coups such as the one in Uganda in 1971 that installed Idi Amin and the one in Liberia in 1980 that sparked a brutal civil war are emblematic of this pattern.
After the Cold War ended in the early 1990s, the international community began to view coups in a different light. Coups were increasingly deemed unacceptable and even criminalised as the push for democratic rule gained momentum. However, as the coups in Ivory Coast (1999) and Guinea (2008) show, this did not completely eradicate the incidence of coups.
Economic disparity, graft, and discontent with authoritarian authority have all played a role in recent years’ spate of African coups. These factors may be seen in both the 2011 coup in Libya that toppled Muammar Gaddafi and the 2020 coup in Mali.
Africa’s political dynamic and the difficulties it has experienced in its pursuit of stability and development are reflected in the continent’s long history of coups. While coups have been less common in recent years, the threat they pose to political stability is still very real. Promoting political stability and democratic governance in Africa requires an understanding of the historical background and causes of coups.
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The History of Coup in Africa