DO ATTITUDES MATTER - THE MILITARY AND DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION IN GREECE

This article examines the role of the military in processes of democra tic consolidation by focusing on the case of the Greek military's extr ication from power in 1974. Based on a series of elite in-depth interv iews with former and current parliamentary deputies as well as retired military officers, it argues that the initial extrication of the mili tary from power must be viewed as distinct from the issue of permanent withdrawal. Specifically, I find that attitudinal change, not simply behavioral submission to civilian control, is a fundamental condition for long-lasting civilian supremacy. That is, while behavioral support for democracy is adequate in the short term, attitudinal support is a necessary precondition for democratic consolidation in the long run. In sum, this analysis of the Greek military's extrication from power h ighlights the importance of achieving both behavioral and attitudinal support from the military before a newly democratized regime can be co nsidered consolidated.