TITLE:
Aetiology of the Equilibrium of Civil-Military Relations in Malawi
AUTHORS:
Thokozani Andrew Chazema, Mavuto Tembo, Chrispin Mphande, Robert Kerr, Vincent Nundwe, David Kumwenda
KEYWORDS:
Rhombus Diamond Theory, Intelligent Disobedience, Civil-Military Relations, Fulcrum
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.11 No.8,
August
23,
2023
ABSTRACT: This paper seeks to address the question how the level of civil-military
relations has impacted the extent of democratization in Malawi. In doing so,
the discussion has developed a rhombus diamond theory of civil-military
relations, which posits that the military is the fulcrum in the relationship
that has civilians, elected authorities, civilian authorities and the judiciary
on apexes. The theory aims at keeping the relations of civil-military entities
in equilibrium to develop the country into a consolidated democracy. The
central thesis is that community of practice is the key civil-military
relations players that include the local population for the direct political
power they portray to the matters of security affecting them. The rhombus
diamond theory is developed from the antitheses of classical institutional
civil-military relations that focused much on the political-military complexes
and consolidated democracies. Rhombus diamond theory has taken into historical
accounts of Malawi where the local population and the military contributed
directly to civil-military relations and safeguarded democratic values. The
theory contributes to the body of knowledge by establishing that development
and transformation occur through the interaction of the key civil-military
relations players in a specific time and geographical milieu. Qualitative
research method was used to develop this theory.