Vulnerabilities of Military Organization in Democratic Societies

In a democracy, the military organization has a specific set of characteristics. The democratic framework, at the one hand, it provides a series of strengths rooted in legitimacy and resources, and, on the other hand, it triggers vulnerabilities related to the civil-military gap, political constraints, and the complex nature of modern security challenges. In the present paper the analysis is focused on the later topic, namely the vulnerabilities risen from the democratic condition of the state wherein the military organization must remain subordinate to civilian authority, serving the state's democratic values by upholding the law and constitution, without dominating politics. The research is undertaken through the lens of civil-military relations and the mechanisms of civilian control, as well on the antinomy among democratic and authoritarian regimes.