Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2007

Publication Title

Conflict Management and Peace Science

Volume

24

Abstract

Research has shown that democracies rarely, if ever, engage each other in war and are less likely to have militarized disputes than when interacting with authoritarian regimes. Economic sanctions are an alternative to militarized conflict viewed by the masses as more acceptable. The conflict-inhibiting effects of democratic norms and institutions are thus weakened with respect to the use of sanctions. This paper examines whether a country's decision to initiate sanctions is influenced by its regime type as well as that of the potential target. The results for the period 1950 to 1990 indicate that the more democratic a country is, the more likely it is to initiate sanctions. Democracies, however, are less likely to target other democratic regimes relative to nondemocratic regimes. With respect to sanctions use, pairs of democracies are not peaceful.

Issue

3

First Page

171

Last Page

182

DOI

10.1080/07388940701468435

ISSN

0738-8942

Rights

Goenner, Cullen F. "Economic War and Democratic Peace", Conflict Management and Peace Science, 24(3) pp. 171-182, 2007. Copyright © 2007 (SAGE Publications). https://doi.org/10.1080/07388940701468435 Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications.

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