International institutions are the key: a new perspective on the democratic peace

The international organisation of the democratic peace matters. Interdemocratic institutions are particularly suited to block escalation pathways between states and to prevent conflicts from resulting in war. This article builds on findings from three fields of research: (a) the liberal analysis of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Review of international studies 2006-10, Vol.32 (4), p.563-585
Main Authors: HASENCLEVER, ANDREAS, WEIFFEN, BRIGITTE
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arms control & disarmament
Autonomy
Case studies
Competition
Conflict
Conflict management
Demilitarized zones
Democracy
Dilemmas
Dyadic relations
Escalation
Government
International Cooperation
International Organizations
International relations
Military alliances
Peace
Peacetime
Rivalry
Self help
Stability
State Power
The International Politics of International Institutions
War
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Summary:The international organisation of the democratic peace matters. Interdemocratic institutions are particularly suited to block escalation pathways between states and to prevent conflicts from resulting in war. This article builds on findings from three fields of research: (a) the liberal analysis of the democratic peace; (b) systemic approaches to international institutions, and (c) new quantitative studies of armed conflicts. Three pivotal contributions of international institutions to peaceful conflict management are identified: international institutions can be used to overcome the security dilemma among states and to tame power competitions. They sustain international cooperation and forestall the recourse of governments to unilateral self-help strategies. Finally, international institutions increase the autonomy of issue areas, which decreases the risk of destabilising spillover effects from other issue areas. The article holds that these three functions are extraordinarily well performed by international institutions composed of democracies and illustrates this allegation by presenting three case studies of interdemocratic management of former rivalries. Therefore, the distinctive features of interdemocratic institutions merit more attention as a supplement to the explanation of the democratic peace.
ISSN:0260-2105
1469-9044
DOI:10.1017/S0260210506007169