In Power Kills: Democracy as a Method of Nonviolence, political scientist R.J. Rummel forcefully argues that democracies by nature are less warlike than non-democracies because they become adept at managing domestic conflict. Unfortunately, Rummel greatly overstates his case, ignoring numerous occasions when democracies have taken arms against each other and giving short shrift to “realist” strategic reasons for why they usually opt for peace.

Defense and Foreign PolicyDemocracyPhilosophy and Religion
Other Independent Review articles by Ted Galen Carpenter
Fall 2021 A League of Democracies: Cosmopolitanism, Consolidation Arguments, and Global Public Goods
Summer 1998 Democracy and War: Rejoinder
Fall 1997 Pay Any Price: Lyndon Johnson and The Wars for Vietnam