EFFECT OF MILITARY COUP D'ETAT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF FRENCH COLONIZED COUNTRIES

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of military coup d'etat on economic development of French Colonized countries, which has become a great cost of concern to Africa, ECOWAS and international communities as its portray the image of a country in a negative perceptive in terms of building confidence in the area of trade bi- lateral activities. However, persistent of military taking over of democratically elected government often distort the policy and programmes of governance as they would be loss of confidence by the international community's engaging in any form of business activities with such a country. It is not a hidden fact that French colonized countries in Africa are beset by return of military coups over couples of times, and it is in the light of this, that the researcher adopts documentary approach to gather data from journals, relevant research work, existing literature or materials which emphasizes on economic development and military coups. Furthermore, the paper used telcott person's model of structural functionalism which is traceable to the work of Herbert Spencer (1869), which seeks to explain the factors taking into consideration in arriving a strategic outcome. The paper concluded by identifying factors that contributes to military takeover in most of French colonized countries which include corruption, economic mismanagement, modernization, cultural pluralism, autocracy, low income level, soldier's greed and grievance among other factors. Finally, recommends the following as a way of preventing continual occurrence of military coup d'etat which include, promotion of good governance, building and maintaining strong democratic institutions, ensures the protection of human rights, promote civic education and awareness about the dangers of coups, international community providing diplomatic pressure and assistance in strengthening democratic institutions.