The Hidden Crisis Threatening American Democracy

As political leaders increasingly seek partisan control over the armed forces and critics simultaneously call on the military to restrain elected leaders, the norms governing democratic civilian control are eroding. Preserving democracy requires renewed civilian responsibility for how military power is governed and used.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Current History
Published
2026-08-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1525/curh.2026.125.874.2
Primary Topic
Military and Defense Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

The Hidden Crisis Threatening American Democracy

Rebecca Best
Current History
Military and Defense Studies
article

The Hidden Crisis Threatening American Democracy

Rebecca Best
article en

Abstract

As political leaders increasingly seek partisan control over the armed forces and critics simultaneously call on the military to restrain elected leaders, the norms governing democratic civilian control are eroding. Preserving democracy requires renewed civilian responsibility for how military power is governed and used.

Current HistoryVol. 125(874)
Peace, Justice and strong institutions
Openalex Percentile: Top 3%
Military and Defense Studies
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The Hidden Crisis Threatening American Democracy — Rebecca Best · Current History (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS