Trust and normative democratic peace theory: nexus between citizens and foreign policies?
International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy
ISSN: 0144-333X
Article publication date: 24 February 2012
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the burgeoning literature dealing with the democratic peace theory, there seems to be surprisingly little research done in actually analyzing how and why democracies cause peace. There is even less research done in empirically analyzing the “how” part of the normative aspects of the democratic peace theory. The purpose of this paper is to explain the theoretical assumptions and how interpersonal trust is linked to a country's preferences to go to war. In addition, a direct comparison is made between democratic and non‐democratic states to ascertain more clearly the effect of trust on decisions to go to war.
Design/methodology/approach
This study quantitatively examines the period from 1980 to 2001 and considers 62 democratic countries and 30 non‐democratic countries in their choices to engage in conflict.
Findings
The research project finds that interpersonal trust is strongly correlated with states' decisions to go to war.
Originality/value
This is the first time that a study has examined the role of interpersonal trust on a state's decision to go to war, as no scholarly work has been done in applying the study of interpersonal trust to studying the theory of democratic peace.
Keywords
Citation
Zimelis, A. (2012), "Trust and normative democratic peace theory: nexus between citizens and foreign policies?", International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Vol. 32 No. 1/2, pp. 17-28. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443331211201734
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited