Introduction

Arms and politics in the Dominican Republic since the crisis of 1965, affected by special circumstances and peculiar dynamics of Dominican social processes, have not been a microcosm of Latin American civil—military relations. Theories of Latin American civil-military relations must be revised to allow for the Dominican and other similar phenomena, broadened to include the concept of “noninstitutionality” as a continuing rather than transitory state. Theory must take into account the consequences of personalities and interpersonal relationships. The point that no more than a rudimentary military “establishment” existed is crucial to analysis of arms and politics in the Dominican Republic, and a number of related key terms require clarification before proceeding with that analysis. A major theme in Dominican history is political involvement by the armed forces in the latter sense, with officers functioning as both military men and politicians.