This chapter introduces the book’s primary research goal: to understand state dynamics and the rocky road of governing the military alongside paving the way for Chile’s developmental growth and democratisation. The chapter discusses theoretical frameworks for the study of governance, policymaking, and democracy. It seeks to present a critical perspective on the unavoidable clashes of power that mark past, present, and future relations between the elected authorities and those holding the means of force. The book claims that all state institutions under democracy have different ways to deal with policy, different strategies to ever-changing political and social demands, and formal and informal channels to assess the better use of economic resources. The armed forces are part of these institutions. The chapter thus presents the key crosscutting themes explaining the governance of the military. Eight elements are considered fundamental: the state of civil-military relations; political transition and military subordination; roles and missions; effectiveness; fiscal spending; interagency challenges; international engagement; and transparency and corruption. The chapter outlines the structure of the book, giving a chapter-by chapter synopsis on the state-of-affairs for policymaking in the defence and military sector and what type of governance action is present in Chile that could shed light elsewhere in emerging democracies. The chapter sets the road for the remaining chapters by proposing that states develop a complex governance of the military where many interested actors use both peace and threats to security to influence possible pathways for policymaking under democracy.