Civilian Control over the Military

Abstract

With the recent rise in civilian discontent and armed conflicts, military institutions around the world have become more involved and their roles more public. This has highlighted the need for democratic control over the armed forces and has revitalized the study of civil-military relations. The case of Turkey provides ample opportunity to examine the power dynamics between the civilian government and the military as the Turkish armed forces have historically assumed the role of guardians of the state and have played a significant role in the political arena. With the Justice and Development Party coming to power in 2002, this dynamic changed drastically, shifting power from the military back to the civilian authorities. This study examines this power dynamic, highlighting the Justice and Development Party’s rise to power and identifies the drivers and factors that allowed the civilian government to establish control over a strong and dominant military.