I don't think the generals are in charge. I do think the manner in which government power is shown to the public has almost nothing to do with the manner in which it actually works.

I think that there's a vast ruling class that achieves rough consensus which is then independently implemented by thousands of bureaucratic managers. I'm sure there are factional conflicts within the ruling class, but they prefer to keep the scam going and are in that sense united.

I think elections are almost totally divorced from actual power, and are essentially a show. Elections are the 2nd-player controller you give to your little brother so he can pretend he's making things happen.