What is it about?
This article explains how the government of Eritrea has built one of the world's most militarized political systems. Rather than relying on democratic institutions or the rule of law, the state uses indefinite military service, extensive surveillance, and strong security institutions to maintain control over society. I argue that these policies are not simply responses to security threats—they have become a permanent way of governing the country.
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Why is it important?
Eritrea is often described as an isolated and authoritarian state, but there has been limited research explaining how its political system actually functions. This article introduces the concept of an institutionalized militarized garrison police state to better understand the Eritrean model. It also helps explain why international pressure and sanctions have had little effect on changing the regime's behavior. The findings contribute to broader debates on authoritarianism, state resilience, security governance, and politics in the Horn of Africa.
Perspectives
My perspective is that insecurity in Eritrea is not only a challenge faced by the state—it has become a governing strategy. The regime has institutionalized militarization and coercion, embedding them into state structures and everyday life. This creates a self-reinforcing political system in which security concerns justify continued repression. Understanding this dynamic is essential for developing more realistic policies toward Eritrea and for advancing research on authoritarian governance and conflict in Africa.
Professor Hamdy A. Hassan
Zayed University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Managing insecurity through institutionalized militarization: The Eritrean garrison police state model, Journal of Asian and African Studies, July 2026, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/00219096261461040.
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