ABSTRACT
Recent events in three West African states, Ghana, Liberia, and Upper Volta, raise questions as to whether there has been a change in the nature of military coups and military regimes in Africa, Do the coups and subsequent creation of people's revolutionary committees and councils under (flight lieutenant) Jerry Rawlings in Ghana, (former sergeant) Samuel Doe in Liberia, and (captain) Thomas Sankara in Upper Volta add up to something new under the African sun? (In August 1984, Sankara announced that Upper Volta would henceforth be called Bourkina Fasso; the old name is used throughout here.) This paper addresses whether these military regimes can be described as populist; and if so, what is the likelihood of their spreading in Africa?
