2018 Was The First Year Since 2007 Without A Coup

People demonstrate in front of the Republic Monument at the Taksim Square in Istanbul, Turkey, July 16, 2016. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

Clayton Besaw and Matthew Frank, Business Insider/The Conversation: 2018 was the first year since 2007 without a coup. Here's what that means for 2019.

* The past year may have felt politically tumultuous, but in some ways it was unusually stable.
* 2018 is on track to be only the second year in a century without a coup d'état.
* The last head of state overthrown was Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe in November 2017.
* But next year, estimates show there is an 81% chance of at least one coup attempt somewhere in the world.

The past year may have felt politically tumultuous, between Saudi Arabia's brazen killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey, the resurgence of authoritarianism in Eastern Europe, and Donald Trump's unorthodox approach to US foreign policy.

But in some ways 2018 was unusually stable. It is on track to be only the second year in a century without a coup d'état. The last head of state overthrown was Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe in November 2017.

There have been 463 coup attempts worldwide since 1950, 233 of which were successful. These undemocratic power transfers have sparked civil wars, triggered authoritarian crackdowns, and stunted economic growth.

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WNU Editor: Here is a sobering number .... There have been 463 coup attempts worldwide since 1950, 233 of which were successful.