The Politics of Labeling in International Relations: The Case of the So-Called aoCoup daEtat of March 2009a in Madagascar

Abstract

The consecutive and unconstitutional transfers of power which occurred in Madagascar on March 17 2009 between on the one hand President Marc Ravalomanana and the Military Directorate and on the other hand the Military Directorate and Andry Rajoelina have been labeled and condemned as a coup d tat by the great majority of the members of the international community However despite this quasi-unanimity the different members of the international community adopted different responses in dealing with this so-called coup d tat Using the labeling approach this study analyzes the rules and procedures of the relevant members of the international community in dealing with a coup d tat in general and their actual responses in the particular case of Madagascar This study finds on the one hand that the rules and procedures of the relevant members of the international community in dealing with a coup d tat were completely different on the other hand that their actual responses were usually inconsistent with their own rules and procedures