This work investigates the conditions under which military intervention in politics occurs and the factors that determine the success or failure of such interventions. S.E. Finer, a prominent political scientist, utilizes a comparative historical framework to analyze the relationship between the military and the state. He argues that the level of political culture within a society serves as the primary constraint on military interference, categorizing nations based on their institutional maturity and the military's propensity to seize power.

Scholars frequently cite this book as a foundational text in the study of civil-military relations. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which remains a standard reference for understanding the structural causes of military coups.