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The Martial Origins of Democracy : A Global Study of Military Conscription and Suffrage Extensions Since the Napoleonic Wars

Ingesson, Tony LU orcid ; Lindberg, Mårten LU ; Lindvall, Johannes LU orcid and Teorell, Jan LU orcid (2018) In Democratization 25(4). p.633-651
Abstract

This article examines the relationship between conscription (the compulsory enlistment of civilians for military service) and democracy. Using the best available cross-country comparable data on the history of conscription and democracy, we demonstrate that there is an empirical relationship between conscription and democratization, but the relationship is more complicated than commonly believed. Specifically, we find that conscription increases the likelihood of male suffrage extensions, but only in wartime (when the conscript army is mobilized). We find no relationship between conscription and democratization apart from extensions of suffrage. Nor do we find support for the hypothesis that conscription shelters democracies from... (More)

This article examines the relationship between conscription (the compulsory enlistment of civilians for military service) and democracy. Using the best available cross-country comparable data on the history of conscription and democracy, we demonstrate that there is an empirical relationship between conscription and democratization, but the relationship is more complicated than commonly believed. Specifically, we find that conscription increases the likelihood of male suffrage extensions, but only in wartime (when the conscript army is mobilized). We find no relationship between conscription and democratization apart from extensions of suffrage. Nor do we find support for the hypothesis that conscription shelters democracies from coups.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Conscription, coups, democracy, suffrage, wars
in
Democratization
volume
25
issue
4
pages
19 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85037721601
ISSN
1351-0347
DOI
10.1080/13510347.2017.1405935
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a3b3cb96-8f70-47c8-94ca-2a1ac25f0937
date added to LUP
2018-01-03 12:29:09
date last changed
2022-03-24 23:19:28
@article{a3b3cb96-8f70-47c8-94ca-2a1ac25f0937,
  abstract     = {{<p>This article examines the relationship between conscription (the compulsory enlistment of civilians for military service) and democracy. Using the best available cross-country comparable data on the history of conscription and democracy, we demonstrate that there is an empirical relationship between conscription and democratization, but the relationship is more complicated than commonly believed. Specifically, we find that conscription increases the likelihood of male suffrage extensions, but only in wartime (when the conscript army is mobilized). We find no relationship between conscription and democratization apart from extensions of suffrage. Nor do we find support for the hypothesis that conscription shelters democracies from coups.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ingesson, Tony and Lindberg, Mårten and Lindvall, Johannes and Teorell, Jan}},
  issn         = {{1351-0347}},
  keywords     = {{Conscription; coups; democracy; suffrage; wars}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{633--651}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Democratization}},
  title        = {{The Martial Origins of Democracy : A Global Study of Military Conscription and Suffrage Extensions Since the Napoleonic Wars}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/102647531/Ingesson_Lindberg_Lindvall_and_Teorell_martial_origins_of_democracy.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/13510347.2017.1405935}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}