Domestic Military Powers, Law and Human Rights

Calling Out the Armed Forces

Michael Head

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2019
• eBook ISBN: 9781000754025
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Law
• Subtopic: Civil Rights in Law
• Index: Law

This book examines the national and international law, human rights and civil liberties issues involved in governments calling out the armed forces to deal with civil unrest or terrorism.

The introduction of domestic military powers has become an international trend. Troops already have been seen on the streets in major Western democracies. These developments raise major political, constitutional and related problems. Examining the changes underway in eight comparable countries—the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Japan and Australia—this book provides a review and analysis of this trend, including its implications for legal and political rights.

The book will be of interest to the general public, as well as students, academics and policy-makers in the areas of human rights and civil liberties, constitutional law, criminal justice and security studies.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• Key terms
• 1. Introduction: Causes for concern
• 2. A deepening international trend
• 3. The violent historical record
• 4. The United States: Sweeping aside protections against domestic military intervention
• 5. Canada: Advanced military planning
• 6. Britain: Preparing for disruption
• 7. France: Troops on the streets to combat social unrest
• 8. Germany and Italy: Post-war restraints eroded
• 9. Japan: Creeping militarisation
• 10. Australia: Legislating and expanding military powers
• 11. How can governments and military chiefs be held to account?
• 12. Wider legal, political and democratic implications: From ‘terrorism’ to ‘subversion’
• Bibliography
• Index