The colonial roots of structural coup-proofing

Colonially inherited institutions are a key determinant of the regime type and economic outcomes postcolonial countries. This study extends this claim to civil-military relations, arguing that former French colonies especially likely invest in structural coup-proofing. France created paramilitary units throughout its for which many natives were recruited. After independence, these paramilitaries proved persistent consequently used counterbalance regular armed forces. In contrast, countries without existing organizations had stronger militaries deterred even forcibly prevented Quantitative tests using global data on coup-proofing paired comparison relations Cote d’Ivoire Ghana support more heavily counterbalancing. By showing how colonial provided post-independence governments with opportunity coup-proof, contributes our understanding as well institutional long-term effects colonialism foreign rule generally.