"Wars between democracies? " Topic

55 Posts

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basileus66	31 Jan 2012 7:40 a.m. PST
The statement is false, though there is a certain amount of truth in that it's less likely a war between two democratic countries, where policy-makers need to achieve a bigger consensus, than when at least one of the belligerents is a tyranny, autocracy or other form of dictatorship, as the need for consensus is more limited and therefore it's easier to take rash decissions. That, of course, does not preclude democracies from going to war, either against another democracy or against a dictatorship. This kind of analysis ignores civil wars and rebellions, which is known to have affected democracies as much as other political systems.
Grizzlymc	31 Jan 2012 9:33 a.m. PST
Seems to depend on your definition of democracy and war.
vtsaogames	31 Jan 2012 7:11 p.m. PST
How about when democracies wage aggressive wars against unstable dictatorial neighbors? I have in mind US vs. Mexico 1838 and Chile vs. Bolivia/Peru 1879.
BullDog69	31 Jan 2012 11:07 p.m. PST
basileus66 'This kind of analysis ignores civil wars and rebellions, which is known to have affected democracies as much as other political systems' As much? Would democracies not tend to be more stable and less prone to such things? I'm certainly not saying they've NEVER happened in a democracy, only that I would have thought they are much less likely.
Grizzlymc	01 Feb 2012 6:36 a.m. PST
Actually VTSA, it is debateable whether Chile, Bolivia and Peru could be called democracies at the time. To all intents and purposes they might be described as liberal oligarchies, except Bolivia which, since independence, has generally best been described as authoritarian anarchy. I think that the statement is an over generalisation, but like most such statements contains a grain of truth.