Interesting article on the mechanics of coups

[William]

In the New York Times today, there's an article with a 30,000 foot consideration of how coups succeed or fail. I thought it might be an interesting little resource for players or GMs of games in which regime change is a factor. It studies several cases and draws a few lessons, like this one:

Originally Posted by nytimes

Turkey’s debacle underscored that a coup is less a military operation than a collective action problem.

The elites who determine a coup’s outcome are typically too numerous and dispersed to communicate directly. And they are risk-averse. The coup leaders’ task is to persuade each elite that all the others will join in, spurring them to move in unison.

So it might offer suggestions for modeling the coup problem, both in instigating and in defending, should that sort of adventure interest anyone hanging around here.

[The Colonel]

Also, for anyone who wants to plot up a "managing the elites" segment of a coup, the description of the Patrician's Ball in Terry Pratchett's Night Watch is worth reading...

[Pomphis]

Edward Luttwak´s Coup d` Etat: A Practical Handbook is always worth reading before starting one.

[The Colonel]

Or, for those who appreciate some black humour (and if you can still find a copy) Cash Peter's World Domination Handbook ... although some of the tech is a bit retro by now.