Claude Welch - Böcker

Analyzes Asian perspectives on human rights in terms of cultural traditions, grassroots and regional organizations, and economic constraints on the expression of rights. The book asks: are human rights western in their inception, are they universal or do they differ by region and culture.

In many contemporary nations, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the armed forces play a major role in governing. Historical, economic, and sociological factors have contributed to the political prominence of the military in developing countries. Nevertheless, in the 1980s several states in Latin America restored civilian rule followi

Analyzes Asian perspectives on human rights in terms of cultural traditions, grassroots and regional organizations, and economic constraints on the expression of rights. The book asks: are human rights western in their inception, are they universal or do they differ by region and culture.

This book examines military disengagement from politics in the selected states of Africa and Latin America. It focuses on the political consequences of coups d'etat and illustrates what may be inherent limits in armed forces' ability to transform their societies.

Many generous people deserve special thanks for their assistance in the preparation and completion of this project. I wish to express my gratitude to each of the contributors for agreeing to tackle a difficult and inherently controversial subject. I am only sorry that C.I. Eugene Kim did not live long enough to see the fruits of his labor; he will be sorely missed by all of us who knew him. The Third World and the military do not respond easily to scrutiny by social scientists. Many colleagues and referees read all or part of the manuscript; I am grateful to Professors Richard Lane, Roy Christman, and Bob Kumamoto of San Jose State University and Timothy Lukes of Santa Clara University, who offered numerous helpful• comments. My parents, Panos and Athanasia Danopoulos, my brother George and his wife, Niki, my aunt Areti Paraskevopoulou, and my koumbaro George Nikoletopoulos have provided boundless moral support. Polly Taylor's expert typing and coding made the preparation of the typescript possible. Finally, my wife, Vickie, and our two sons, Panos and Andreas, deserve special thanks for their willingness to endure the long hours that writing and manuscript preparation entail. Though helpful, none of these people bear any responsibility for any problems associated with this volume. Responsibility for the accuracy and scholastic quality of what follows belongs to the contributors and myself.

This book demonstrates that the timing as well as the degree to which the armed forces leave the levers of political power and the nature of the successor regime depend on both external, societal, or ecological factors as well as internal, organizational, or institutional ones.