The Place Of Military Coup D` Etat In African Politics: The Case Of 2013 Egypt Military Coup D` Etat

ABSTRACT 

The study set out to investigate the place of military coup d`etat in the conduct of world politics and the level of impression to which military coup d`etat has had on the development of contemporary African politics, with special focus on the 2013 Egypt military coup that led to the overthrow of Mohammed Morsi. The study is on the context of the local, regional and international socio-political, economic, and psychological factors which appeared to have tremendously influenced the cause of military coups in Africa. It found out that after the Cold War, the military and politics seem to have been odd bed-fellows because liberal democratic governance and human rights and freedoms seemed to have characterized the international system. The military was viewed as a state actor that is tasked with the responsibility of protecting the country against external aggression. The resurgence of the military in the conduct of African politics in the aftermath of the Cold War seems to be a clear manifestation of the fact that the military is a powerful force to reckon with in the study and practice of world politics. The study also examined the causes of military coup d` in the conduct of African politics. It found out that although, the influence of military coup d` in African politics appears to have had to its credit both positive and negative effects in the international system, these effects whether good or bad seem to have impacted on one way or the other the relationship between and among states and non-state actors in the international system. The study also found out that the credibility of the military as a tangible determinant of state power may be questionable based on the way and manner it seizes and controls political power. Finally, the study also found out that as a result of the rational actor model of foreign policy decision making the Nations State, which appears to be the primary actor in world politics most often than not consider their foreign policy interest at the expense of good governance, rule of law and human rights. This becomes more manifest in the 2013 Egypt military coup d`etat, which was subjected to varied standpoints by both states and non state actors, where states like the US, UK, France, Saudi Arabia, China, Western media failed to describe the ouster of a democratically elected president Mohammed Morsi as a military coup d`etat. Whiles Turkey, Qatar, Iran, al-Shabab, Hamas and others also interpreted and condemned it as a military coup.