Mutiny in Africa

We rely on Elihu Rose's characterization of mutiny as "an act of collective insubordination, in which troops revolt against lawfully constituted authority for primary goals other than political power." Beyond the definition we wish to emphasize three additional issues. First,  the act's primary aims must be of organizational rather than personal interest. A large number of individual soldiers refusing to engage with an enemy due to a wish for self-preservation, for example, will usually be excluded. Second, a lack of interest in attaining political power is not synonymous with a lack of political goals. Many mutineers demand what are effectively political goals, such as the resignation or dismissal of a defense minister, or requesting action that would require new legislation on matters related to the armed forces. Third, though mutinies occur without political power as a primary objective, objectives sometimes evolve and groups of soldiers sometimes attempt coups during or in the immediate aftermath of mutinies.

Schiel, Rebecca, Jonathan Powell, Christopher Faulkner. 2021. Mutiny in Africa, 1950-2018. Conflict Management and Peace Science 38(4): 431-499.  

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