How Armies Respond to Revolutions and Why - by Zoltan Barany (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

An exploration of military responses to revolutions and how to predict such reactions in the future

We know that a revolution's success largely depends on the army's response to it. But can we predict the military's reaction to an uprising? How Armies Respond to Revolutions and Why argues that it is possible to make a highly educated guess--and in some cases even a confident prediction--about the generals' response to a domestic revolt if we know enough about the army, the state it is supposed to serve, the society in which it exists, and the external environment that affects its actions. Through concise case studies of modern uprisings in Iran, China, Eastern Europe, Burma, and the Arab world, Zoltan Barany looks at the reasons for and the logic behind the variety of choices soldiers ultimately make.

Barany offers tools--in the form of questions to be asked and answered--that enable analysts to provide the most informed assessment possible regarding an army's likely response to a revolution and, ultimately, the probable fate of the revolution itself. He examines such factors as the military's internal cohesion, the regime's treatment of its armed forces, and the size, composition, and nature of the demonstrations.

How Armies Respond to Revolutions and Why explains how generals decide to support or suppress domestic uprisings.

From the Back Cover

"Barany focuses on the critical, yet understudied, question of how militaries respond to revolution. Over the course of his book, he offers a novel theoretical argument and compelling empirical evidence with which to assess that argument. This is an important work that demands the attention of scholars of both revolutions and military institutions."--David M. Edelstein, Georgetown University

"Extremely accessible and impressive in its sweep, this book offers a practical and insightful framework for analyzing military actions during revolutions. Barany has a tremendous grasp of civil-military relations and knows his subject matter well. His work will interest policymakers and analysts as well as scholars studying military politics and military responses to mass uprisings."--Risa Brooks, Marquette University

""How Armies Respond to Revolutions and Why" shows great attention to detail, advances its arguments effectively, and presents a clear, conceptual framework. Enlivened by cases and interviews, this book addresses a topic that is timely and clearly pertinent to policy. It will find a solid readership in war colleges, intelligence and policy analysis circles, and courses in intelligence analysis."--David J. Betz, King's College London

Review Quotes

"A pathbreaking book on the behavior of armed forces in times of popular revolutions."---Hicham Bou Nassif, Perspectives on Politics

"Barany's short work is a welcome addition to the literature on revolutions for its clarity, accessibility, and range of case studies."---Alistair Shawcross, International Journal on World Peace

"In this superb book, Barany asks how many militaries in nearly 20 countries responded to popular uprisings from 1979 to 2011."-- "Choice"