Coup d'état - How you do it ?

There are few things about which we seem know a lot, there are reports about them in media, books to read and lot of history, still find it hard to imagine it. One such thing for me is military 'Coup d'état'. The recent one in Thailand triggering the thought process again.

I can’t understand how can one government be overthrown by tanks rolling on the street or buildings under siege? What exactly is a government ? Is it some ‘seat’, and whoever occupies the seat is the government. The government, I know, consists of several constituents, and they make the legislative and executive. So how come this system changes by tanks on the street, or soldiers in combat fatigue? How does evrerything become sub-servient to one person in uniform ?

I guess, my deficiency in understanding this lies with my upbringing. Having being brought in India, which incidentally is surrounded by neighbours having military rule umpteen number of times, makes me difficult to understand the whole process. When I think of government, the picture does not come of parliament buliding or the streets of New Delhi. However preposterous might be the thought, but I can imagine democracy in India, even with tanks rolling on streets of New Delhi. Oh, it got wiped off, even the mere thought does not stay for long. I guess this is Indian democracy ingrained in me. I would really find it difficult to ever stay some country where there is authoratarian rule or my right to question/criticise is limited.

Sure democracy does not always give you the government you desire, but even then it does give you the right to criticise. It does tells that it not ‘me’ (a single person) who can decide who is going to rule the country. The thought alone is assuring.

Whenever I get the news of any military coup anywhere, I don’t understand it, but it also brings me a smug on my face – the glow of Indian democracy.