 | This is anessay ontwo core policies of Wikipedia;maintaining a neutral point of view andverifiability. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one ofWikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not beenthoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
 | This page in a nutshell: The word "coup" is a loaded word with negative connotations. To conform withWikipedia's policy of neutral point of view, the word should not be used in articles, unless this word is widely used by multiplereliable sources that are independent of one another. |
Wikipedia policy requires content tohave a neutral point of view, with this policy beingone of the five main pillars andthree core policies of Wikipedia. Recently, the legitimacy of an uprising against a government has been determined by terminology used about the event; a "revolution" is warranted and applauded while a "coup" is illegal and condemned.[1]
Another core policy,the verifiability policy, requires material added to Wikipedia to be supported byreliable sources. Reliable sources differ on naming certain events as a coup and should be relied upon for content added on Wikipedia.
Use of the word "coup" in an article title should be avoided unless the term is widely used by reliable sources. The use of "coup" should be avoided in Wikipedia article bodies unless discussing an event has been named a "coup" by reliable sources.
There is often debate when describing an event as a coup. When naming a Wikipedia article, there can be concerns whetherthe title complies with Wikipedia's Neutral Point of View policy. These concerns can be determined on whether this is aname prominently given through common usage byreliable sources (e.g.Glorious Revolution) or if it is adescriptive title promoted by Wikipedia editors.
PerWikipedia's Neutral Point of View policy:
NPOV is afundamental principle of Wikipedia and ofother Wikimedia projects. It is also one of Wikipedia's three core content policies; the other two are "Verifiability" and "No original research". These policies jointly determine the type and quality of material that is acceptable in Wikipedia articles, and, because they work in harmony, they should not be interpreted in isolation from one another. ... This policy is non-negotiable, and theprinciples upon which it is basedcannot be superseded by otherpolicies or guidelines, nor by editor consensus.
A descriptive title promoted by Wikipedia editors, even by consensus, does not hold more weight than a title that is neutral, verifiable by reliable sources and is not original research. If an event occurs that some describe as a coup meets all three core policies, (i.e. widely described as a coup by reliable sources, wide use proves to be neutral and the source is not from an involved Wikipedia editor) then the word "coup" is suitable to be used in an article's title.
Since the use of the term "coup" has become more divisive, especially following theCold War,[1] its use in reliable sources has lessened. It is important that Wikipedia editors maintain a neutral point of view and rely on sources when creating an article title instead of using their opinion to promote a viewpoint utilizing their own descriptors of an event. If a name or term is commonly used among reliable sources, it is possible that it can be commonly used on Wikipedia.
For those concerned about the representation of their viewpoint on an uprising event or whether a certain title will draw attention away from readers, pleaseredirect the article using a separate and suitable title. However, refrain from using this separate title in other articles and utilize the actual, neutral title that is in use.
The use of the term "coup" has been used heavily by politicians. World leaders and politicians have described an event as a coup in order to delegitimize events taking place.[2] Depending oninternational relations, politicians in various countries may use or avoid the use of the word "coup" when describing an event.[2]Politicians and political groups are not reliable sources, especially for describing an event as a coup. The inclusion of the opinions of political entities in the article body is different, however, and their use in the body shouldalways be attributed.
Describing an event as a coup in an article body is only valid when using an article title that has "coup" included, as the title has most likely been determined by the use of reliable sources. However, overuse of the term "coup" in the article carries a lot of weight and will remove the neutral point of view. Use of "coup" in the article body should be used as sparingly as possible in order to maintain neutrality.