Regime change
Encyclopedia
"Regime change" is the replacement of one regime
with another. Use of the term dates to at least 1925.
Regime change can occur through conquest by a foreign power, revolution
, coup d'état
or reconstruction following the failure of a state
. Regime change may replace all or part of the state's existing institutions, administrative apparatus, bureaucracy and other elements.
The term has been popularized by recent US Presidents. Bill Clinton and George W. Bush
regularly used the term in reference to Saddam Hussein
's regime in Iraq
. Ronald Reagan
had previously called for regime change in Libya
, directing the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) to work towards that goal.
The term regime change is sometimes erroneously used to describe a change in the government of the day
.
The term regime change can also be applied to bodies other than nation states.http://blog.fastcompany.com/archives/2006/03/09/dealing_with_regime_change_at_the_office.html
can be found throughout the past 50 years. Regime change in Iraq
became a stated goal of United States foreign policy when Public Law 105-338 (the "Iraq Liberation Act
") was signed into law by U.S. President Bill Clinton. The act directed that:
This regime change has been brought about as a consequence of the 2003 invasion of Iraq
.
Besides US-led regime changes there were numerous regime changes produced by the Soviet Union
, such as in Outer Mongolia
, in Tannu Tuva in 1921, in the independent republics in the Caucasus during the Russian civil war, in the Baltic states in 1940, and in all of the East European countries that fell under Soviet rule due to the Yalta agreements of 1943.
A reasonably large number of countries underwent regime change in the aftermath of the global conflicts
of the twentieth century. The First World War saw the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian and the Ottoman empires. The Second World War saw the destruction of Nazi Germany
and its replacement first by an occupation regime and then by the modern Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic
, the re-establishment of Austria
as the parliamentarian Second republic and the adoption of a pacifist constitution by Japan
. Of course, the former was preceded by Reich-induced regime change and puppet governments
in many European states.
After the second world war, Britain's granting of independence to various nations constituted a peaceful externally-imposed régime change.
One of the bloodiest regime change in Europe was due to the coup d'état of Generalissimo Francisco Franco
in Spain
in 1936, itself a reaction to the abolition of the kingdom and the establishment of a republican regime in 1931.
A lesser-known externally-imposed regime change was the Cambodian-Vietnamese War
, resulting in the removal of the Khmer Rouge
from power in Cambodia
.
during the Korean War
advocated this policy, leading to his dismissal by President Harry Truman. Later, in the Vietnam War
, many conservatives such as Barry Goldwater
, also supported the concept, denouncing President Lyndon B. Johnson
's goal of merely saving South Vietnam
from being taken over by the Communist North as a "no-win" policy. The American-backed overthrow of the Maurice Bishop
government in Grenada
in 1983 can also be viewed in the same light, as can the U.S. support of the Contras
insurgency in Nicaragua (leading to the Iran-Contra Affair
) and the United States embargo against Cuba
.
A review of one hundred FIRC cases came to the conclusion that installing a new leader after the FIRC significantly increases the chance of a civil war, whereas restoring a former leader does not. In cases where FIRC is imposed by a democratic state there is a greater chance of more democratization in countries that are wealthy or ethnically homogeneous. There is an opposite effect on democratization in poor or heterogeneous countries.
. The Russian Revolution, the 1962 Burmese coup
and the 1990 collapse of communism
in Eastern Europe
are consummate examples.
Less violent examples of internally-driven regime change are the establishment of the French Fifth Republic
and the Federation of Australia
.
was a regime change in the international system, as was the repeal of the National Mandatory Speed Limit in the United States. Regime changes are often viewed as ideal opportunities for natural experiment
s by social scientists.
Regime
The word regime refers to a set of conditions, most often of a political nature.-Politics:...
with another. Use of the term dates to at least 1925.
Regime change can occur through conquest by a foreign power, revolution
Revolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
, coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
or reconstruction following the failure of a state
Failed state
The term failed state is often used by political commentators and journalists to describe a state perceived as having failed at some of the basic conditions and responsibilities of a sovereign government...
. Regime change may replace all or part of the state's existing institutions, administrative apparatus, bureaucracy and other elements.
Popular use
The transition from one political regime to another, esp through concerted political or military action - most recently seen in the regime change undergone by Tunisia.The term has been popularized by recent US Presidents. Bill Clinton and George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
regularly used the term in reference to Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's regime in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
had previously called for regime change in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, directing the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
(CIA) to work towards that goal.
The term regime change is sometimes erroneously used to describe a change in the government of the day
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
.
The term regime change can also be applied to bodies other than nation states.http://blog.fastcompany.com/archives/2006/03/09/dealing_with_regime_change_at_the_office.html
Examples
Overthrow of unfriendly governments by the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
can be found throughout the past 50 years. Regime change in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
became a stated goal of United States foreign policy when Public Law 105-338 (the "Iraq Liberation Act
Iraq Liberation Act
The Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 is a United States Congressional statement of policy calling for regime change in Iraq. It was signed into law by President Bill Clinton, and states that it is the policy of the United States to support democratic movements within Iraq...
") was signed into law by U.S. President Bill Clinton. The act directed that:
- "It should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and to promote the emergence of a democraticDemocracyDemocracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
government to replace that regime."
This regime change has been brought about as a consequence of the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
.
Besides US-led regime changes there were numerous regime changes produced by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, such as in Outer Mongolia
Outer Mongolia
Outer Mongolia was a territory of the Qing Dynasty = the Manchu Empire. Its area was roughly equivalent to that of the modern state of Mongolia, which is sometimes informally called "Outer Mongolia" today...
, in Tannu Tuva in 1921, in the independent republics in the Caucasus during the Russian civil war, in the Baltic states in 1940, and in all of the East European countries that fell under Soviet rule due to the Yalta agreements of 1943.
A reasonably large number of countries underwent regime change in the aftermath of the global conflicts
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
of the twentieth century. The First World War saw the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian and the Ottoman empires. The Second World War saw the destruction of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and its replacement first by an occupation regime and then by the modern Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
, the re-establishment of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
as the parliamentarian Second republic and the adoption of a pacifist constitution by Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Of course, the former was preceded by Reich-induced regime change and puppet governments
Puppet state
A puppet state is a nominal sovereign of a state who is de facto controlled by a foreign power. The term refers to a government controlled by the government of another country like a puppeteer controls the strings of a marionette...
in many European states.
After the second world war, Britain's granting of independence to various nations constituted a peaceful externally-imposed régime change.
One of the bloodiest regime change in Europe was due to the coup d'état of Generalissimo Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1936, itself a reaction to the abolition of the kingdom and the establishment of a republican regime in 1931.
A lesser-known externally-imposed regime change was the Cambodian-Vietnamese War
Cambodian-Vietnamese War
The Cambodian–Vietnamese War was an armed conflict between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Democratic Kampuchea. The war began with isolated clashes along the land and maritime boundaries of Vietnam and Kampuchea between 1975 and 1977, occasionally involving division-sized military formations...
, resulting in the removal of the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
from power in Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
.
As US objectives
General Douglas MacArthurDouglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
advocated this policy, leading to his dismissal by President Harry Truman. Later, in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, many conservatives such as Barry Goldwater
Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
, also supported the concept, denouncing President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
's goal of merely saving South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
from being taken over by the Communist North as a "no-win" policy. The American-backed overthrow of the Maurice Bishop
Maurice Bishop
Maurice Rupert Bishop was a Grenadian politician and revolutionary who seized power in a coup in 1979 from Eric Gairy and served as Prime Minister of the People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada until 1983, when he was overthrown in another coup by Bernard Coard, a member of his own...
government in Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
in 1983 can also be viewed in the same light, as can the U.S. support of the Contras
Contras
The contras is a label given to the various rebel groups opposing Nicaragua's FSLN Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction government following the July 1979 overthrow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle's dictatorship...
insurgency in Nicaragua (leading to the Iran-Contra Affair
Iran-Contra Affair
The Iran–Contra affair , also referred to as Irangate, Contragate or Iran-Contra-Gate, was a political scandal in the United States that came to light in November 1986. During the Reagan administration, senior Reagan administration officials and President Reagan secretly facilitated the sale of...
) and the United States embargo against Cuba
United States embargo against Cuba
The United States embargo against Cuba is a commercial, economic, and financial embargo partially imposed on Cuba in October 1960...
.
Effects
Foreign-imposed regime change (FIRC) after a war decreases the chances of a repeat interstate war.A review of one hundred FIRC cases came to the conclusion that installing a new leader after the FIRC significantly increases the chance of a civil war, whereas restoring a former leader does not. In cases where FIRC is imposed by a democratic state there is a greater chance of more democratization in countries that are wealthy or ethnically homogeneous. There is an opposite effect on democratization in poor or heterogeneous countries.
Internal regime change
Regime change can be precipitated by revolution or a coup d'étatCoup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
. The Russian Revolution, the 1962 Burmese coup
1962 Burmese coup d'état
The 1962 Burmese coup d'état on 2 March 1962 marked the beginnings of socialist rule and the political dominance of the army in Burma which spanned the course of 26 years...
and the 1990 collapse of communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
in Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
are consummate examples.
Less violent examples of internally-driven regime change are the establishment of the French Fifth Republic
French Fifth Republic
The Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, introduced on 4 October 1958. The Fifth Republic emerged from the collapse of the French Fourth Republic, replacing the prior parliamentary government with a semi-presidential system...
and the Federation of Australia
Federation of Australia
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia formed one nation...
.
In academic use
In addition to the above uses, the term 'regime change' can also be used in a more general sense, particularly in academic work, to refer to a change in political institutions or laws that affect the nature of the system as a whole. For example, the end of the Bretton Woods systemBretton Woods system
The Bretton Woods system of monetary management established the rules for commercial and financial relations among the world's major industrial states in the mid 20th century...
was a regime change in the international system, as was the repeal of the National Mandatory Speed Limit in the United States. Regime changes are often viewed as ideal opportunities for natural experiment
Natural experiment
A natural experiment is an observational study in which the assignment of treatments to subjects has been haphazard: That is, the assignment of treatments has been made "by nature", but not by experimenters. Thus, a natural experiment is not a controlled experiment...
s by social scientists.
See also
- CIA sponsored regime change
- MetapolitefsiMetapolitefsiThe Metapolitefsi was a period in Greek history after the fall of the Greek military junta of 1967–1974 that includes the transitional period from the fall of the dictatorship to the Greek legislative elections of 1974 and the democratic period immediately after these elections.The long...
- Peaceful revolutionPeaceful revolutionThe Peaceful Revolution was a series of peaceful political protests against the authoritarian regime of the German Democratic Republic of East Germany. The protests, which included an emigration movement as well as street demonstrations, were a case of nonviolent resistance, also often called...
- TransitologyTransitologyIn political science, international and comparative law and economics, transitology is the name for the study of the process of change from one political regime to another, mainly from authoritarian regimes to democratic ones....