This work investigates the mechanics, conditions, and strategic requirements necessary to execute a successful coup d'état within a state. Edward Luttwak, a strategist and consultant, utilizes historical analysis and political theory to deconstruct the vulnerability of governments to internal military or bureaucratic seizure. He argues that a coup is a technical operation rather than a mass movement, requiring precise timing and the neutralization of key state apparatuses.

Experts frequently cite this work as a foundational, albeit controversial, technical manual on the mechanics of political instability. Readers often note the clinical and detached tone of the prose, which focuses strictly on the operational logistics of power acquisition.