Journal Article - International Organization
Who Are These Belligerent Democratizers? Reassessing the Impact of Democratization on War
Abstract
In a key finding in the democratic peace literature, Mansfield and Snyder argue that states with weak institutions undergoing incomplete transitions to democracy are more likely to initiate an external war than other types of states. We show that the empirical data do not support this claim. We find a dearth of observations where incomplete democratizers with weak institutions participated in war. Additionally, we find that the statistical relationship between incomplete democratization and war is entirely dependent on the dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire prior to World War I. We also find that the case selection in Mansfield and Snyder rarely involved incomplete democratizers with weak institutions. We therefore conclude that the finding that incomplete democratizers with weak institutions are more likely to initiate or participate in war is not supported by the empirical data.
For more information on this publication:
Please contact
International Security
For Academic Citation:
Narang, Vipin and Rebecca M. Nelson. “Who Are These Belligerent Democratizers? Reassessing the Impact of Democratization on War.” International Organization, vol. 63. no. 2. (Spring 2009): 357-379 .
- Recommended
- In the Spotlight
- Most Viewed
Recommended
Analysis & Opinions
- TIME Magazine
Is America in Decline?
Analysis & Opinions
- Project Syndicate
How to Prevent a War Over Taiwan
Journal Article
- Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs
The "Age of Normalizations"— An Overdue Post-Mortem
In the Spotlight
Most Viewed
Analysis & Opinions
- New Straits Times
Gorbachev and the End of the Cold War
Report
- Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Challenging Biases and Assumptions in Analysis: Could Israel Have Averted Intelligence Failure?
Analysis & Opinions
- The National Interest
Is Iran's Strategic Patience at an End?
Abstract
In a key finding in the democratic peace literature, Mansfield and Snyder argue that states with weak institutions undergoing incomplete transitions to democracy are more likely to initiate an external war than other types of states. We show that the empirical data do not support this claim. We find a dearth of observations where incomplete democratizers with weak institutions participated in war. Additionally, we find that the statistical relationship between incomplete democratization and war is entirely dependent on the dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire prior to World War I. We also find that the case selection in Mansfield and Snyder rarely involved incomplete democratizers with weak institutions. We therefore conclude that the finding that incomplete democratizers with weak institutions are more likely to initiate or participate in war is not supported by the empirical data.
- Recommended
- In the Spotlight
- Most Viewed
Recommended
Analysis & Opinions - TIME Magazine
Is America in Decline?
Analysis & Opinions - Project Syndicate
How to Prevent a War Over Taiwan
Journal Article - Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs
The "Age of Normalizations"— An Overdue Post-Mortem
In the Spotlight
Most Viewed
Analysis & Opinions - New Straits Times
Gorbachev and the End of the Cold War
Report - Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Challenging Biases and Assumptions in Analysis: Could Israel Have Averted Intelligence Failure?
Analysis & Opinions - The National Interest
Is Iran's Strategic Patience at an End?