Abstract
This article examines the role of the military in processes of democratic consolidation by focusing on the case of the Greek military's extrication from power in 1974. Based on a series of elite in-depth interviews with former and current parliamentary deputies as well as retired military officers, it argues that the initial extrication of the military from power must be viewed as distinct from the issue of permanent withdrawal. Specifically, I find that attitudinal change, not simply behavioral submission to civilian control, is a fundamental condition for long-lasting civilian supremacy. That is, while behavioral support for democracy is adequate in the short term, attitudinal support is a necessary precondition for democratic consolidation in the long run. In sum, this analysis of the Greek military's extrication from power highlights the importance of achieving both behavioral and attitudinal support from the military before a newly democratized regime can be considered consolidated.
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