A coup d’état or, coup, is the overthrow of a government by illegal means. Usually, though not always, coups entail some violence, and usually they are executed by small groups, often members of the military. Recently has been a spate of coups, specifically in Africa. But they are by no means confined to a single continent or region of the world. In fact, Donald Trump’s attempt to forestall the peaceful transfer of power from his presidency to Joe Biden’s, has frequently been referred to as a “failed coup.”
Though a coup is generally thought of as the overthrow of a government, what coups really are, or at least more precisely are, are overthrows of leaders. Of single individuals, heads of states, and of their allies and aides, all of whom represent the old order that must be deposed. Generally, at least the leaders, now perceived as the old guard, are murdered, or imprisoned, or held under house arrest, or in some other way permanently eliminated or removed. They are no longer, in other words, free to go about their business for the obvious reason that they represent a threat, likely an indefinite one, to those who had the temerity to forcibly overthrow them.
“Coup d’état” is a French term that refers, literally, to a coup against the state. To a blow against the existing government, or a strike against it, or a hit against it in the attempt, if necessary, a violent attempt, to upend it. To overturn the old or at least the previous order in favor of a new one.
However not all coups are the same. And they are not all executed against leaders of a state. Now the word “coup” can be used more broadly to, for example, refer to corporate leaders who have been pushed from their perch suddenly, and without their consent, and by a small group determined to remove them from their positions of power.
About Bob Chapek, for example, the former chief executive officer of Disney, I could reasonably say that he was removed by a coup. He was in any case pushed out of his post from one day to the next, entirely by surprise, and against his will, and by a small group, in this case Disney’s board. Further Chapek was immediately, instantly, replaced by a successor. To be sure, Chapek was given a golden parachute. But getting out immediately, and completely, and forevermore was part of the deal. He was never to darken Disney’s door again.
During the first quarter of the 21st century Africa has been the epicenter of coups against the state. In the last decade alone have been 22 such coup attempts on the African continent. And in the last six years 11 coups were successful, for example in Chad, Mali, and Guinea. Moreover, early this summer, in July, was the forcible overthrow of the government in Niger. And late this summer, in August, was the forcible overthrow of the government of Gabon.
In Africa, certainly in parts of Africa, coups have become almost normalized. While all coups are different, in Africa they tend to have these things in common: economic deprivations and democratic discontents. However, for those among us with an interest in leadership and followership they represent a larger trend – one in which more uneasy than ever lie the heads that wear the crowns.
In all American history, for example, a grand total of three presidents have been impeached. Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump. Notably, three of the four impeachments were in the last 25 years and, notably, Trump was impeached twice during his single term as president. Continuing the quickening, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy recently said that the next “natural step” was to open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. And Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene announced that she would “not vote to fund the government” unless the House voted on a Biden impeachment inquiry.
Whatever your opinions of the recent impeachments, or threats to impeach, the syndrome’s the same. You don’t like the leader you have? Get rid of them by any means necessary – and replace them with one you do.