THE POLITICAL INCENTIVE EXPLANATION OF DEMOCRATIC PEACE - EVIDENCE FROM EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH

In this paper, we summarize a series of experimental studies that show that democracies don't fight each other because their leaders have ve ry few political incentives to do so. The use of force against other d emocracies is perceived by the public and by leaders of democratic sta tes as a failure of foreign policy. The reliance of democratic leaders on public support decreases therefore the likelihood of the use of fo rce against other democracies.