POLI 491 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Abuse, Trinity Broadcasting Network
29 Jan 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
The history of democracy has rested on the concept of civilian control over the military. Huntington argues that there are three characteristics that define a military officer"s professionalism: (1) expertise (the management of violence), (2) responsibility (for the defence of the state), (3) corporateness (institutional self-awareness and organization). These distinguish the military from other professions and serve as a good argument for civilian control, to ensure they remain obedient to civilian authorities. Huntington noted that the tensions between the demands of the military and the values of american liberalism can only be resolved through either a reduction in security threat, or a weakening of liberalism. The military also tend to discriminate based on factors of military effectiveness (gender physical or mental abilities), a consideration that would be illegal in regular civilian life. There is a perceived widening gap between the military and society. The values and beliefs between military personnel and the rest of society continually differ.
