POLI 244 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Security Dilemma, The Lexus And The Olive Tree, Thomas Friedman
19 Dec 2015
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Document Summary
Data shows that democracies are just as likely any non-democracies to. Democracies are far less likely to fight each other. Hence, the more democracies there are in the world, the less wars there will be. Anarchy and the security dilemma can be over. Implications are powerful: as a species we can overcome this constant condition of anarchy powerful contrast of realism. Peaceful interactions and conflict resolution is a learned behaviour that becomes ingrained: ex. Norms of cooperation and compromise can lead to harmony between former enemies. Democracies face decision-making obstacles that are absent in authoritarian regimes: constraints that make it hard for democracies to go to war . Decision-makers need to get domestic legitimacy for their policies domestic public pressure: grid lock: series of pathways to begin something. Heads-of-state need to get legislative branches to agree to war. Domestic public opinion has a strong impact. If states can learn behaviour, then we can change the world.
