Book Review: Civil–military relations: Control and effectiveness across regimes

• Date: 01 July 2020
• DOI: 10.1177/0095327X20903483
• Published date: 01 July 2020
• Subject Matter: Book Reviews

important in a history, with his analytical approach to data . No other study has

systematically walked through American presidential history with this view. The

bibliography is extensive and worth buying the book for that alone. He examined

much of the serious history of presidents and military service, providing others a

treasure trove of useful, interesting, and revealing insights.

Teigen combines classic civil–military relations writing with a careful examina-

tion of data, pointing out how his findings either support or fail to support the

conventional wisdoms or theories. Ameri can politics is complicated and Teig en

reminds us that even in the area of veterans running for the office of the president,

we must still pay attention to the details and avoid oversimplification. Read the

book.

Bruneau, T., & Croissant, A. (Eds.). (2019). Civil–military relations: Control and effectiveness across

regimes. Lynne Rienner. 281pp. $75.00 (hardcover). ISBN 9781626378155

Reviewed by: Pion-Berlin , University of California, Riverside, CA

DOI: 10.1177/0095327X20903483

This edited volume does what no other volume before it has done: examine the nexus

between civilian control and effectiveness across a wide range of countries. Civilian

control has been a topic of study for decades while military effectiveness has

received short shrift. There are just a few studies that go beyond the examination

of battlefield prowess, let alone make the connection between success and civilian

control strategies. This volume does just that, and in doing so, makes an important

contribution to the literature.

The problem with restricting analyses to an examination of war outcomes is that

war itself has become a rarity. Militaries are more commonly tasked with a range of

activities, from crime control to natural disaster relief and civic action to peace-

keeping. What would success mean in these instances? Where missions have no

clear termination date, or where success cannot be measured in hard data terms (e.g.,

sophistication of armaments, number of enemy fatalities, territory gained, surrender

achieved), other indicators are needed. Bruneau has suggested in previous work that

we must move beyond a measure of action to one of preparedness; that countries

should be judged on whether there are plans and strategies in place, institutions to

formulate and implement those plans, and resources to ensure that assignments can

be carried out. Meanwhile, the editors draw on Croissant’s previous research to

understand the arenas in which civilian control is exerted and the institutions and

resources needed to exert real power and oversight. They then discuss how separate

control and effectiveness analyses must come together to understand the linkages

between them. This sets the theme for the rest of the volume.

530 Armed Forces & Society 46(3)