This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Thompson, W. R. Articles by Tucker, R. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

A Tale of Two Democratic Peace Critiques

Department of Political Science, Indiana University

Richard Tucker

Center for International Affairs, Harvard University

Of approximately 100 empirical democratic peace articles published in journals and papers presented at conferences over the last 10 years, none identifies a positive and statistically significant relationship between democratic dyads and militarized conflict. Therefore, many international relations researchers have reached the conclusion that widespread democratization will lead to a more peaceful world. Nevertheless, two different attacks on these fundamental premises have been advanced recently. One argues that the pacificity of democratic dyads is restricted to the post-World War II era. The other argues that democratizing states, as opposed to states experiencing regime changes, have a greater propensity to engage in war. The present authors find that neither the arguments nor the evidence hold up well to closer scrutiny. First, when controlling for changes in specific predominant rivalry structures, pre-1914 democratic dyads are less likely to engage in militarized conflict. Second, democratic transitions do not produce a window of heightened vulnerability to war participation.

Journal of Conflict Resolution, Vol. 41, No. 3, 428-454 (1997)
DOI: 10.1177/0022002797041003005


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Rauchhaus Evaluating the Nuclear Peace Hypothesis: A Quantitative Approach Journal of Conflict Resolution, April 1, 2009; 53(2): 258 - 277. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. E. Goldsmith and Baogang He Letting Go Without a Fight: Decolonization, Democracy and War, 1900--94 Journal of Peace Research, September 1, 2008; 45(5): 587 - 611. [Abstract] [PDF]

				U. E. Daxecker Perilous Polities? An Assessment of the Democratization-Conflict Linkage European Journal of International Relations, December 1, 2007; 13(4): 527 - 553. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Clare Democratization and International Conflict: The Impact of Institutional Legacies Journal of Peace Research, May 1, 2007; 44(3): 259 - 276. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. Sobek Rallying Around the Podesta: Testing Diversionary Theory Across Time Journal of Peace Research, January 1, 2007; 44(1): 29 - 45. [Abstract] [PDF]

				G. P. Herd and T. Tracy Democratic Civil-Military Relations in Bosnia and Herzegovina: A New Paradigm for Protectorates? Armed Forces & Society, July 1, 2006; 32(4): 549 - 565. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. Daubler Debate: War and Post-Communist Democratization: Dealing with Old Comrade Endogeneity Journal of Peace Research, January 1, 2006; 43(1): 83 - 89. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. Rasler and W. R. Thompson The Democratic Peace and a Sequential, Reciprocal, Causal Arrow Hypothesis Comparative Political Studies, October 1, 2004; 37(8): 879 - 908. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. Sobek Regime Type, Preferences, and War in Renaissance Italy Journal of Conflict Resolution, April 1, 2003; 47(2): 204 - 225. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. C. PRINS Institutional Instability and the Credibility of Audience Costs: Political Participation and Interstate Crisis Bargaining, 1816-1992 Journal of Peace Research, January 1, 2003; 40(1): 67 - 84. [Abstract] [PDF]

				G. CHIOZZA Is There a Clash of Civilizations? Evidence from Patterns of International Conflict Involvement, 1946-97 Journal of Peace Research, November 1, 2002; 39(6): 711 - 734. [Abstract] [PDF]

				G. A. M. DAVIES Domestic Strife and the Initiation of International Conflicts: A Directed Dyad Analysis, 1950-1982 Journal of Conflict Resolution, October 1, 2002; 46(5): 672 - 692. [Abstract] [PDF]

				W. J. DIXON and P. D. SENESE Democracy, Disputes, and Negotiated Settlements Journal of Conflict Resolution, August 1, 2002; 46(4): 547 - 571. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. Rasler and W. R. Thompson Rivalries and the Democratic Peace in the Major Power Subsystem Journal of Peace Research, November 1, 2001; 38(6): 659 - 683. [Abstract] [PDF]

				L.-E. Cederman Modeling the Democratic Peace as a Kantian Selection Process Journal of Conflict Resolution, August 1, 2001; 45(4): 470 - 502. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. A. TURES Democracies as Intervening States: A Critique of Kegley & Hermann Journal of Peace Research, March 1, 2001; 38(2): 227 - 235. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. A. TURES Addressing Concerns about Applying the Democratic Peace Arguments to Interventions Journal of Peace Research, March 1, 2001; 38(2): 247 - 249. [PDF]

				S. Werner The Effects of Political Similarity on the Onset of Militarized Disputes, 1816-1985 Political Research Quarterly, June 1, 2000; 53(2): 343 - 374. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. Lai and D. Reiter Democracy, Political Similarity, and International Alliances, 1816-1992 Journal of Conflict Resolution, April 1, 2000; 44(2): 203 - 227. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. C. Zanger A Global Analysis of the Effect of Political Regime Changes on Life Integrity Violations, 1977-93 Journal of Peace Research, March 1, 2000; 37(2): 213 - 233. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Mousseau and Y. Shi A Test for Reverse Causality in the Democratic Peace Relationship Journal of Peace Research, November 1, 1999; 36(6): 639 - 663. [Abstract] [PDF]

				E. A. Henderson Neoidealism and the Democratic Peace Journal of Peace Research, March 1, 1999; 36(2): 203 - 231. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. J. C. Crescenzi and A. J. Enterline Ripples from the Waves? A Systemic, Time-Series Analysis of Democracy, Democratization, and Interstate War Journal of Peace Research, January 1, 1999; 36(1): 75 - 94. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. J. Enterline Regime Changes, Neighborhoods, and Interstate Conflict, 1816-1992 Journal of Conflict Resolution, December 1, 1998; 42(6): 804 - 829. [Abstract]

				A. J. Enterline Regime Changes and Interstate Conflict, 1816-1992 Political Research Quarterly, June 1, 1998; 51(2): 385 - 409. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Mousseau Democracy and Compromise in Militarized Interstate Conflicts, 1816-1992 Journal of Conflict Resolution, April 1, 1998; 42(2): 210 - 230. [Abstract]

				S. McLaughlin, S. Gates, H. Hegre, R. Gissinger, and N. P. Gleditsch Timing the Changes in Political Structures: A new Polity Database Journal of Conflict Resolution, April 1, 1998; 42(2): 231 - 242. [Abstract]

				A. Raknerud and H. Hegre The Hazard of War: Reassessing the Evidence for the Democratic Peace Journal of Peace Research, November 1, 1997; 34(4): 385 - 404. [Abstract]

				W. R. Thompson and R. Tucker Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered: A Reply to Farber and Gowa and to Mansfield and Snyder Journal of Conflict Resolution, June 1, 1997; 41(3): 462 - 477.