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This is the classic book on the topic: Edward Luttwak, Coup d'État: A Practical Handbook, 1968

• RGamma 10y ago
  One review on Amazon says "[...] The only asterix one would attach to it is that the second, and most recent, edition was published in 1979, so we don't have anything about dealing with the internet, mobile phone networks, etc.". It seems that's a really big omission in any "practical" handbook. Apparently the author is still alive. Time for a third edition? (and I have yet to watch the video)
  • thomasfoster96 10y ago
    There is a new edition which was published this year (2016). I was able to get it via Amazon - maybe the review is a bit old? I haven’t read much of it so far as I have a few other books on the go but the internet and mobile phones are certainly mentioned. Edit: Revised edition still has the original author. Edit 2: Amazon link (not affiliate link): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0674737261/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0674737261/ref=oh_aui_deta...
  • HillRat 10y ago
    To be fair, he wrote the original as an analysis of how coups d'etat tended to evolve during the postcolonial period; the "practical guide" was just a bit of academic provocation. (As Luttwak admits, he only knows of one coup that actually used his book as a resource, and it failed abysmally.) I'm totally with you that an entirely new book, post-Arab Spring, is in order, though -- perhaps one half devoted to how to overthrow a government, the other half on how to ruthlessly suppress dissent.