The film The Enemy Within

The film The Enemy Within suggests that a democracy is more fragile than it first appears. The U.S. government has existed for more than two centuries without the kind of challenge seen in this film, a potential military coup such as has troubled many other nations in the world. We have seen many smooth governmental transitions, even after a national crisis such as a presidential assassination, and so we have come to take the process for granted. We have also taken for granted the fact that our system is marked by civilian control of the military, a fact to which the military defers. However, we do not usually ask what would happen if the military stopped accepting this constitutional provision and instead sought to remove one government and substitute another. This film asks that question and analyzes what would happen.

Col. MacKenzie Casey is the man who uncovers the plot being cooked up by certain military leaders to remove the duly elected president, President William Foster, who has angered General Lloyd by imposing defense cuts. This does not seem much of a reason for a military coup, since the government imposes defense cuts all the time, then gives back money at other times. This response seems especially odd given that this film was made at a time when the threat from the Soviets had dissipated, suggesting that some defense spending could be reduced. The film is a remake of Seven Days in May, which was made at the height of the Cold War when paranoia about s

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