Democratizing Civilian Control: The Polish Case

Abstract

This article explores the theoretical and practical considerations of establishing democratic civilian control over the post-communist military in Poland. It argues that problems with civilian control lie not only within the military establishment but within the political system. It highlights the difference between simple civilian control and democratic civilian control and points out that there can be systemic obstacles to moving from one to the other. It is impossible to establish democratic control over the military until there is a consensus among the population and the politicians about where the locus of that control should lie. In the case of Poland, the military has been used by the president in his attempts to sway the public in favor of a presidential system. The article argues that perhaps the single largest factor in keeping the military out of politics is the development of a stable political system.