Democratic Deficit and Resurgence of Military Coups: An Assessment of Regional Insecurity in Africa

This research investigates the resurgence of coups in Africa by revisiting the theories of a democracy deficit and inverted legitimacy. Recently, the African continent has been experiencing a resurgence in rebellions, many of which have been successful. The resurgence continues to emanate risk in different regions and heightened human crises. To ascertain the nature of these coups, we are exposed to several cases that vary across other states. This study compares several African countries that have experienced coups since 2020, using the theory of inverted legitimacy coined by Errol Henderson. The rationale inherent within this study is to understand how a coup d’état fosters an environment of political instability and the prevalence of additional coups and focus on how the resurgence of coups is, in actuality, an indication of a deficient democratic system across the continent. This qualitative research adopts a comparative approach that is applied in different stages of the study. The research also uses descriptive statistics to fuse qualitative data with numerical findings to advance a holistic understanding of the resurgence; the combination also aids in obliterating limitations known to both methods and fosters a balance by the strengths of another. Key findings suggest that a state that does not fulfill the procedural processes of democracy more often loses its legitimacy over time, creating a conducive environment for coups to thrive.