Chain of Command

World Politics Review features are original, in-depth analyses of key public-policy issues by leading experts. This feature focuses on civil-military relations in China, Turkey and Colombia.


The relationship between a country’s civilian leaders and its military command is the product of a distinct national history and political trajectory. In China, the People’s Liberation Army, historically a symbiotic branch of the Communist Party, is progressively emerging as a specialized force divorced from domestic politics. In Turkey, the ascendance of the political sphere under the AKP has transformed the societal role of the military, but the outcome remains fragile and unstable. And in Colombia, the prospect of peace after decades of war underscores the need for broad changes in the military’s role in domestic security.