The Struggle over the Anti-Coup Norm: Autocratic Norm Resistance and the 2021 Coup in Myanmar
Channel: War Studies KCL
Date: 2021-11-04

Since the end of the Cold War, democracies have sought to create a range of normative and international legal standards intended to reduce the frequency, and legitimacy, of coups. The rise of the anti-coup norm has led to the isolation and punishment of numerous coup-created governments, and evidence suggests it has helped reduce the frequency of coup attempts.

However, the norm is contested, and coup leaders often find that the international condemnation they face is countered by quiet acquiescence or active support by authoritarian countries.  

Drawing on the 2021 Myanmar coup, Anna Plunkett discusses the strategies that autocratic regimes use to counter the anti-coup norm, and explores the ways in which these strategies can contribute to the consolidation of authoritarian regimes in coup-affected countries.