Introduction

African militaries may have special recruitment and socialization procedures which mark them off from other institutions. African armed forces do not appear to function as surrogates for a middle class that is weak, representing that class and compensating for its inability to establish a well integrated and hegemonic group, much less do they appear to serve as an executive handmaiden for the middle class. Observers have worried a great deal more about the formation of states in Africa and their maintenance than they have worried about the class basis of the state. The very hierarchical nature of armed forces, the strong emphasis on rank and small group bonding, often give wide play to the idiosyncratic features associated with individual leaders. Individual leaders may shape policy and politics a great deal under different conditions. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.