Military influence in civilian institutions: analyzing ethnic group political and economic exclusion

How does military influence in civilian governance affect economic and political treatment of ethnic groups? Drawing on defense economics literature and institutionalist theory, this study argues that military influence within civilian institutions undermines inclusive governance and reinforces patterns of ethnic exclusion through institutional entrenchment and economic co-optation. It tests the hypothesis that greater military influence in governance is associated with higher levels of ethnic exclusion. Using global cross-sectional data from the All Minorities at Risk (AMAR) and Ethnic Power Relations (EPR) datasets, the analysis examines the relationship between military influence and two key outcomes: political exclusion and economic marginalization of ethnic groups. Logistic regression and country-level random effects models are applied to a dataset covering 157 countries from 1950 to 2006. The findings show a consistent and statistically and substantively significant association between military dominance and heightened ethnic exclusion in both political and economic domains. These results underscore the broader risks posed by military encroachment on civilian institutions and contribute to ongoing debates in the literature on democratization and ethnic politics. By identifying higher military influence as a structural driver of exclusion, this study offers important empirical evidence for scholars and policymakers seeking to promote more inclusive governance.