Legitimacy and military intervention in a democracy - Civilian government as a public good

I examine the role legitimacy plays in the establishment and maintenance of democratic regimes, specifically how people's legitimacy preferences affec t a military coup d'etat in a mature democracy, Citizens can, under certain circumstances, deter a military takeover by refusing to cooperate with the junta's laws and proclamations. Noncooperation with a military regime, how ever, faces several hurdles, including a free-riding problem since a legiti mate regime is a public good, Although interest groups can overcome this co llective action problem, I conclude they lack a general incentive to defend democracy.(1)