Bear Any Burden? How Democracies Minimize the Costs of War

• Published in: The Journal of politics Vol. 72; no. 2; pp. 528 - 544
• Main Authors: Valentino, Benjamin A., Huth, Paul K., Croco, Sarah E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, USA Cambridge University Press 01.04.2010; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Accountability; Aircraft maneuvers; Armed Forces; Attrition warfare; Citizens; Civilian personnel; Civilians; Coalitions; Costs; Death; Democracy; Foreign policy; Guerrilla warfare; Military; Military policy; Military strategy; Mortality; Political leadership; Political theory; Soldiers; State; Strategic planning; War; War casualties; Warfare
• ISSN: 0022-3816; 1468-2508
• DOI: 10.1017/S0022381609990831

In this paper, we argue that the greater accountability of democratic leaders to their citizens creates powerful pressures on leaders to reduce the human costs of war. In an analysis of a new dataset of fatalities in interstate wars (1900 to 2005) we find that highly democratic states suffer significantly fewer military and civilian fatalities. We argue that democracies limit their war losses primarily by adopting four specific foreign and military policies. First, democracies generate higher military capabilities than nondemocracies in times of war. Second, democracies are more likely to augment their national capabilities by joining more powerful coalitions of states during war. Third, democracies are more likely than other states to utilize battlefield military strategies that minimize their fatalities. Finally, democracies are more likely to fight wars on battlefields that are not contiguous to their home territories, thereby shielding their civilian populations from the fighting.