Democratic peace theory (or simply the "democratic peace") is the theory that democracies do not go to war with each other. In contrast to theories explaining war, it is a "Theory Of Peace".
Some have preferred terms like "mutual democratic pacifism" or "inter-democracy nonaggression hypothesis" for the theory, to clarify that it is not the peace itself that is democratic, but rather the countries involved.
Among proponents of the theory, several explanations have been offered for it:
- that democratic leaders must answer to the voters for war, and therefore have an incentive to seek alternatives;
- that such statesmen have practice settling matters by discussion, not by arms, and do the same in foreign policy;
- that democracies view non-democracies or their people as threatening, and go to war with them over issues which would have been settled peacefully between democracies;
- that democracies tend to be wealthier than other countries, and the wealthy tend to avoid war, having more to lose.
- Physicist turned historian Spencer R. Weart disagrees with this, saying, "It is not because of their advanced economic developmentâwealthy countries fight wars about as often as poor ones."
Among those who dispute the theory, there are also several opinions: that the claim is a statistical artifact, explicable by chance; and that definitions of democracy and war can be deliberately cherry-picked to show a pattern that may not be there.
Read more about Democratic Peace Theory: History, Definitions, Possible Exceptions, Statistical Difficulties Due To Newness of Democracy, Conflict Initiation, Internal Violence and Genocide, Explanations, Criticism, Academic Relevance and Derived Studies, Influence
Famous quotes containing the words democratic, peace and/or theory:
“In democratic ages men rarely sacrifice themselves for another, but they show a general compassion for all the human race. One never sees them inflict pointless suffering, and they are glad to relieve the sorrows of others when they can do so without much trouble to themselves. They are not disinterested, but they are gentle.”
—Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)
“Peace can endure only so long as humanity really insists upon it, and is willing to work for it and sacrifice for it. Twenty- five years ago American fighting men looked to the statesmen of the world to finish the work of peace for which they fought and suffered; we failed them, we failed them then, we cannot fail them again and expect the world to survive again.”
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)
“There never comes a point where a theory can be said to be true. The most that one can claim for any theory is that it has shared the successes of all its rivals and that it has passed at least one test which they have failed.”
—A.J. (Alfred Jules)