Panamanian political studies have traditionally examined the isthmus’s political system from the perspective of the intimate U.S.-Panama relationship and, very infrequently, from the perspective of the agency of the Panamanian actors. Foremost among these actors has been the Panamanian military, which played a pivotal role as the ultimate arbiter in the country’s political system throughout the majority of the twentieth century. This influence culminated in the military finally assuming direct state control in a 1968 coup. While the military has been a paramount component in Panamanian politics, analyses of its perennial political role and contributions have been few and scattered. Military Foundations of Panamanian Politics is a comprehensive examination of the evolution of the politicization of the Panamanian military and the legacy of this transformation in modern Panamanian politics. It addresses the fundamental role that the Panamanian military played in influencing and molding the modern-day Panamanian political system - structurally, legally, and constitutionally. The book chronicles the corporate and political growth of the Panamanian military, filtering its analysis through civil-military theory, to achieve two primary goals. This work helps us to understand why the Panamanian military finally intervened and how this military political situation gave rise to the Partido Revolucionario Democratico, the party which was designed to institutionalize and legitimize changes wrought by the years of dictatorship. It also analyzes the evolution of the complex U.S.-Panama relationship, concentrating on the dynamic personal decision-making processes of Panamanian and American political and military actors. Although Panama has assumed control of the Canal - the symbol of its independence from the United States - it finds itself vulnerable to threats to its sovereignty, such as the increasing cross-border actions of Columbia’s FARC into Panama. As the most recent work written exploring post-invasion Panama, this volume is unique in its historical analysis of the military’s role in the country’s politics and will be of particular interest to students of Latin American politics, U.S. foreign policy, and to political scientists.
