2.3 Democratic peace theory

Democratic peace theory suggests democracies are less likely to go to war with each other. This idea, rooted in Kant's philosophy, has become a cornerstone of liberal international relations thought, supported by empirical evidence of peaceful relations between democratic states.

The theory emphasizes shared democratic norms, values, and institutional constraints as key factors preventing inter-democratic conflict. While widely influential, it faces criticism and debate over its scope, causal mechanisms, and policy implications in an evolving global landscape.

Origins of democratic peace theory

• Democratic peace theory emerged in the 1980s as a prominent theory in international relations that posits democracies are less likely to go to war with each other
• The theory draws on earlier philosophical and political ideas, particularly those of Immanuel Kant, to explain the observed pattern of peaceful relations between democratic states
• While not without its critics, democratic peace theory has become one of the most influential and widely debated theories in the field of international relations

Influence of Kant's perpetual peace

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• Immanuel Kant's essay "Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch" (1795) laid the groundwork for democratic peace theory
  • Kant argued that a world of constitutional republics would be more peaceful, as these states would be governed by the rule of law and respect for individual rights
• Kant's ideas about the pacific union of liberal states and the cosmopolitan right to hospitality foreshadowed key elements of democratic peace theory
• Contemporary democratic peace theorists have built upon Kant's insights, while updating and modifying his arguments to fit the modern context

Shared democratic norms and values

• One key explanation for the democratic peace is the idea that democracies share common norms and values that make them less likely to fight each other
  • These include respect for individual rights, the rule of law, peaceful conflict resolution, and the legitimacy of the democratic process
• Democracies are seen as having a shared identity and a sense of kinship that reduces the likelihood of armed conflict
• The transparency and accountability of democratic institutions also make it more difficult for leaders to mobilize public support for war against other democracies

Institutional constraints on war

• Democratic peace theory also emphasizes the role of institutional constraints in preventing war between democracies
  • The separation of powers, checks and balances, and the need for public approval make it harder for democratic leaders to initiate wars unilaterally
• The democratic process itself, with its emphasis on compromise, negotiation, and peaceful dispute resolution, is seen as a barrier to war
• Democracies are also more likely to have strong economic and diplomatic ties that raise the costs of war and provide alternative means of resolving conflicts

Empirical evidence for democratic peace

• Since the theory gained prominence, numerous empirical studies have sought to test the democratic peace proposition using historical data and statistical analysis
• The vast majority of these studies have found strong support for the idea that democracies rarely, if ever, go to war with each other
  • This finding holds across different time periods, regions, and definitions of democracy and war

Absence of war between democracies

• The most striking evidence for the democratic peace is the near-total absence of war between established democracies since the late 19th century
  • While democracies have frequently gone to war with non-democracies, there are very few clear-cut cases of democracies fighting each other
• Some possible exceptions, such as the Spanish-American War or the 1914 clash between Britain and Germany, are often explained away as involving states that were not fully democratic or consolidated at the time
• The rarity of inter-democratic war is all the more remarkable given the frequency of war in general and the growing number of democracies over time

Criticisms and counterarguments

• Despite the strong empirical support, democratic peace theory has faced various criticisms and counterarguments
  • Some argue that the correlation between democracy and peace is spurious, reflecting other factors like wealth, alliances, or geography
• Others suggest that the democratic peace may be a historical artifact of the Cold War era, or that it only applies to a narrow subset of powerful, Western democracies
• There are also questions about the direction of causality (does democracy cause peace, or vice versa?), and the exact mechanisms linking democratic institutions to peaceful outcomes

Variations and extensions

• Since its initial formulation, democratic peace theory has been refined and extended in various ways to address criticisms and explore new dimensions of the relationship between democracy and conflict

Monadic vs dyadic democratic peace

• One important distinction is between the monadic and dyadic versions of the democratic peace
  • The monadic version holds that democracies are more peaceful in general, even toward non-democracies
  • The dyadic version, which has received stronger empirical support, focuses specifically on the absence of war between pairs of democracies
• Some scholars have suggested a "dual democratic peace" that combines both monadic and dyadic effects

Role of economic interdependence

• Another extension of the theory looks at the role of economic interdependence in reinforcing the democratic peace
  • Trade and investment ties between democracies are seen as creating shared interests and raising the costs of war
• The "capitalist peace" argument holds that free markets and economic openness, often associated with democracies, contribute to international peace
• However, the relationship between economic interdependence, democracy, and peace remains complex and contested

Democratic peace and international organizations

• Democratic peace theory has also been applied to the study of international organizations and their role in promoting peace
  • Democracies are more likely to join and support international organizations, which can help to manage conflicts and promote cooperation
• Some argue that international organizations like the UN, NATO, or the EU embody democratic norms and practices that contribute to the democratic peace
• However, critics argue that international organizations can also be tools of power politics, and that their effectiveness in promoting peace is limited

Democratic peace in foreign policy

• The ideas of democratic peace theory have had a significant impact on foreign policy debates and practices, particularly in the United States and other Western democracies

Promotion of democracy abroad

• One key policy implication of democratic peace theory is the idea that promoting democracy abroad can serve national security interests by reducing the risk of war
  • This has been used to justify various forms of democracy promotion, from diplomatic pressure and foreign aid to military intervention
• The Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations all invoked the democratic peace as a rationale for their efforts to support democratization in places like the Balkans, Middle East, and former Soviet Union
• However, critics argue that externally-imposed democratization is often ineffective or counterproductive, and that it can be a cover for other strategic or economic interests

Challenges in non-democratic states

• The democratic peace also presents challenges for foreign policy toward non-democratic states, particularly those seen as hostile or threatening
  • If democracies are inherently more peaceful, then non-democracies may be viewed as inherently more dangerous or aggressive
• This can lead to a confrontational approach that eschews diplomacy in favor of coercion or regime change, as in the case of the Iraq War or the "axis of evil" doctrine
• However, engaging with non-democracies may be necessary for addressing shared challenges like terrorism, nuclear proliferation, or climate change, requiring a more nuanced and pragmatic approach

Implications for international relations theory

• The democratic peace has important implications for broader theories of international relations, particularly the debate between liberal and realist approaches

Relationship to liberal and neoliberal theories

• Democratic peace theory is often seen as a key component of the liberal or neoliberal paradigm in international relations
  • It emphasizes the importance of domestic political institutions and values in shaping state behavior, challenging the realist focus on power and anarchy
• The democratic peace is consistent with other liberal ideas about the pacifying effects of trade, international law, and international organizations
• Some see the democratic peace as evidence of a broader trend toward global democratization and the spread of liberal norms, as predicted by modernization theory and the "end of history" thesis

Debates with realism and other paradigms

• However, the democratic peace has also been challenged by realist and other non-liberal theories of international relations
  • Realists argue that the apparent correlation between democracy and peace reflects the distribution of power, not the effects of regime type per se
• Some suggest that the democratic peace is a product of American hegemony or the balance of power, and that it may not hold in a more multipolar world
• Others argue that the democratic peace is not unique, and that other factors like culture, religion, or geography can also create "zones of peace" among certain groups of states
• The democratic peace debate highlights enduring questions about the relative importance of material and ideational factors, and the interplay between domestic and international politics, in shaping patterns of conflict and cooperation in world affairs