Coercion Flashcards
what is coercion
use or threat of use of force to secure compliance of citizens
overt coercion
- military sanctions
- economic sanctions
- extreme violence (torture and execution)
overt coercion implies the use of the legal system and its apparatus such as the police, courts or prison
covert coercion
- persuasion; use of prohibitive laws
- threat of overt coercion
liberal democracies usually use covert coercion, but can and do slip into overt coercion
legitimate coercion:
arrest and trial
imprisonment
police presence
‘just war’
illegitimate coercion
military coups
assassinations
paramilitary activity
legal and moral legitimacy are different
a state using violence against a peaceful protest is legally legitimate but morally questionable
state has right to use coercion against citizens, but citizens do not have the right to use violence against the state
BUT if state is deemed illegitimate, ‘social contract’ (locke) has been broken and there is no right to rule
how can coercion contribute to political stability
maintaining order and public justice
securing against external threat
upholding social contracts
maintaining the economic system
how can coercion undermine political stability
- abuse of individual rights can breed fear and resentment
- repeated or ill judged resorting to coercion weakens respect for the rulers and the state
- systematic coercion opens the possibility of military intervention or international action
coercion is often associated with instability and the weakening of political power, often an attempt to cling to power
.
in order to gain authority, overt coercion must be softened with?
covert coercion, which contributes to stability and legitimisation
no state has relied on coercion alone;
coercive regimes make widespread use of indoctrination to induce pro-regime values
