Description
Book SynopsisWhy do democracies avoid fighting each other? This book examines research and speculation on the subject and tests this against the history of relations between democracies over two centuries. It concludes that constitutional democracies have a 'contracting advantage' - a unique ability to settle conflicts with each other by durable agreements.
Trade Review"[I]mportant and engagingly written... If you want a book that takes theory seriously yet will engage students on fundamental aspects of international politics, this is one on a short shelf."--Bruce Russett, Perspectives on Politics
Table of Contents*FrontMatter, pg. i*Contents, pg. vii*Tables and Figures, pg. ix*Acknowledgments, pg. xi*1. The Argument in a Nutshell, pg. 1*2. Is There Really Peace among Democracies?, pg. 17*3. A Contracting Theory of the Democratic Peace and Its Alternatives, pg. 47*4. Why Democratic Bargains Are Reliable: Constitutions, Open Politics, and the Electorate, pg. 77*5. Leadership Succession as a Cause of War: The Structural Advantage of Democracies, pg. 112*6. Extending the Argument: Implications of Secure Contracting among Constitutional Democracies, pg. 139*7. Conclusion: Reliable Partners and Reliable Peace, pg. 169*Notes, pg. 191*Index, pg. 249
