ABSTRACT
Military involvement in politics, or praetorianism, has been the primary method of government change and succession in the developing or changing societies of the Third World since the 19S0s. The single and all-encompassing explanation for civilian supremacy or military subordination involves the existence of congruency in values among different social groups, including the military. Historical experiences influence the temperament, values and attitudes of a society. The role of ideology, which is often based on religious doctrines, can act as a powerful generator and propagator of value congruency. Most analysts of civil-military relations agree that severe economic dislocations cause legitimacy deflation and may facilitate interventionism. While value congruency inhibits the military disposition to intervene, specific methods and means of control adopted and carried out by civilians can also hinder the capacity and the will of the officer corps to stage successful coups. Civilian control of the military cannot be accomplished through abstract principles and sweeping political pronouncements.
