Suchergebnisse

Viele Länder Asiens verzeichnen eine Remilitarisierung von Staat und Gesellschaft. Dieser GIGA Focus zeigt den wachsenden Einfluss des Militärs auf Politik, Gesellschaft und Wirtschaft in der Region und adressiert die negativen Auswirkungen auf Demokratie, Entwicklung und die regionale Stabilität.

Viele Länder Asiens verzeichnen eine Remilitarisierung von Staat und Gesellschaft. Dieser GIGA Focus zeigt den wachsenden Einfluss des Militärs auf Politik, Gesellschaft und Wirtschaft in der Region und adressiert die negativen Auswirkungen auf Demokratie, Entwicklung und die regionale Stabilität.

In this article, we present the novel M3-dataset. This global dataset brings together 30 existing and newly developed indicators and a total of 140,000 observations on three dimensions of material, political, and societal militarization from 1990 to 2020. We introduce a novel, multidimensional concept of militarization, explain the construction of the dataset, data-collection process, and the measures taken to ensure the validity and reliability of the data. We illustrate the usefulness of the dataset for researchers by analyzing for the first time the impact of military policing as one aspect of societal militarization on violence and human rights violations at the global level. We conclude by discussing the significance of the M3 dataset and outlining how scholars in different fields and with various research interests, including (de-)democratization, armed conflict, and human development, can benefit from incorporating this dataset into their studies.

This Spotlight discusses the resurgence of military coups in Sub-Saharan Africa. We argue that an analytical and political focus on coup events misses out on the bigger picture of military influence in politics. Introducing the new Multidimensional Measures of Militarization (M3) dataset, we demonstrate that African countries that were part of the recent wave of coups, previously showed signs of political militarization such as military veto powers and impunity. We conclude that these subtle forms of military influence can serve as early warning indicators for military coups.

Recent years have seen a remilitarisation of many countries in South, Southeast, and Northeast Asia. While open coups remain an exception, there is a worrying trend among Asian nations of the military's influence over politics, society, and the economy gradually increasing. This raises concerns about the prospects for liberal democracy, just socio-economic development, and stability in the region. Since midway through the first decade of the new century, militaries in Asia have expanded their influence over the recruitment of personnel to government positions, therewith exercising veto power over political decision-making and engaging in repression of the opposition. The region also is subject to an increasing material militarisation. Through rising budgets and large armies, many of the region's militaries command substantial shares of their respective national financial and human resources. Combined, military entrepreneurship and a militarised bureaucracy provide the "deep state" with the necessary resources and capacities to penetrate and control politics and society. These developments run parallel to an increased military presence in society, with many Asian armies maintaining extensive business interests and routinely conducting policing operations. While the long-term repercussions of this multidimensional remilitarisation remain uncertain, historical precedent cautions against incremental militarisation in politics, society, and the economy.