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'Civil-Military Relations in Postcommunist Europe: Assessing the Transition'

Cottey, A.; Edmunds, T.P.; Forster, Anthony

Authors

A. Cottey

T.P. Edmunds

Anthony Forster



Abstract

This article argues that the relative homogeneity of communist civil-military relations postcommunist Europe has been replaced by significant diversity. Those states that have joined NATO and the EU have consolidated democratic civilian control of their militaries, re-oriented their defence policies towards peacekeeping and intervention operations beyond their borders and are fashioning new military-society relationships. In contrast, in Russia, Ukraine and most of the other former Soviet republics the military has become part of the nexus of semi- or outright authoritarian presidential rule, while severe economic and social problems are resulting in a dramatic downgrading of the military's professional and operational competence and severely inhibiting the prospects for meaningful military reform. In the countries of the former Yugoslavia, civil-military reform is gathering pace, but continues to struggle with twin legacies of war and authoritarianism.

Citation

Cottey, A., Edmunds, T., & Forster, A. (2005). 'Civil-Military Relations in Postcommunist Europe: Assessing the Transition'. European Security, 14(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/09662830500042452

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Mar 1, 2005
Deposit Date Jul 9, 2007
Journal European Security
Print ISSN 0966-2839
Electronic ISSN 1746-1545
Publisher Taylor and Francis Group
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 14
Issue 1
Pages 1-16
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/09662830500042452