Coup-Proofing, Military Defection, and the Arab Spring

Despite implementing coup-proofing measures designed to maintain military loyalty, Arab regimes proved vulnerable to military defection during the Arab Spring. Some Arab militaries defected amid widespread protests, and some remained loyal, while others split between these two options. This article explores civil-military relations in Egypt, Syria, and Yemen and develops a theory of military defection based on three coup-proofing strategies: building parallel security institutions, distributing material incentives, and exploiting communal ties. Building parallel security institutions and material incentives create competition within the security apparatus that motivates military defection. However, exploiting communal ties mitigates these effects and more successfully maintains military loyalty.