The Right to Resist Authoritarian Regimes Through Democratic Military Coup d'état

Abstract

History is riddled with rebellions, coup d’états and oppressive authorities. When a government or a leader acts contrary to their democratic regime, especially when violations of human rights are involved, there should be a remedy to protect people and to protect their democratic regime.

The right to resist has been expressed through various forms; revolutions, rebellions and even coup de ’tats. This paper will focus on military coup de ‘tats and how they have been used as a form to express the right to resist. Though this right is a protective right for the people themselves, the right can be, and arguably already has been, abused by those in power or coming into power to justify their means of taking this power.

This paper will consider the right to resist through military coups, the theory behind the right, how it has evolved and ultimately find how the right to resist is able to be used as a mechanism to justify a democratic military coup d’état by restoring a democratic regime.