Militair ingrijpen in de binnenlandse politiek een kader voor analyse

Kroes, R.

A general model of conflict is brought to bear on the relation of the military vis-à-vis the political system. The model, as elaborated earlier by the author, integrates two distinct approaches of conflict: one a polarization model in the Marxian tradition, essentially a status consistency model, the other a status inconsistency model. In both approaches society is depicted as a distributive system in which social groups are vying for shares of such social goods as can be subsumed under the labels of class, status, and power. It is assumed that an individual assortment of inequivalent shares gives rise to behavior aiming at a reduction of the inconsistency through an increase of the smallest shares. Under certain conditions as specified in the model, such attempts may be countered by defensive strategies on the part of the holders of large shares — reactions which may lead to a blocking of aspirations of upward mobility and cause the other party to radically reorient itself in terms...Show moreA general model of conflict is brought to bear on the relation of the military vis-à-vis the political system. The model, as elaborated earlier by the author, integrates two distinct approaches of conflict: one a polarization model in the Marxian tradition, essentially a status consistency model, the other a status inconsistency model. In both approaches society is depicted as a distributive system in which social groups are vying for shares of such social goods as can be subsumed under the labels of class, status, and power. It is assumed that an individual assortment of inequivalent shares gives rise to behavior aiming at a reduction of the inconsistency through an increase of the smallest shares. Under certain conditions as specified in the model, such attempts may be countered by defensive strategies on the part of the holders of large shares — reactions which may lead to a blocking of aspirations of upward mobility and cause the other party to radically reorient itself in terms of shared relative deprivation. Aspirations in the basis of large shares are given up; the resulting picture is one of polarization in which haves and have-nots are opposed in a situation of conflict. In this article the military is viewed as a specific social context in which this process may occur. Both internally within the army, and externally in the wider societal context, conflict groups are formed that may enter into coalitions in an attempt to use their leverage in the army in order to promote their goals. The actual number and composition of groups as well as the specific societal referents that occur, vary according to the institutional character of the arena in which competition takes place. As suggested by Huntington, these arenas can be either civic or praetorian, irrespective of the level of political participation. The actual number and composition of groups as well as the specific societal different levels of political participation, whereas the fourth is civic with a high degree of participation. The applications are meant to illustrate which specific hypotheses can be derived from the model. One important implication of the general argument is that a civic arena offers sufficient alternative procedures to social groups in their struggle for social goods so as to virtually exclude violent military intervention from consideration. For such intervention to be a likely outcome, earlier signs of a relapse from a civic state into praetorianism must be evident.Show less

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Militair ingrijpen in de binnenlandse politiek een kader voor analyse