State Repression And The Domestic Democratic Peace

Does democracy decrease state repression in line with the expectations ofgovernments international organizations NGOs social movements academicsand ordinary cit... » 

Does democracy decrease state repression in line with the expectations ofgovernments international organizations NGOs social movements academicsand ordinary citizens around the world? At present most believe that adomestic democratic peace exists rivalling that found in the realm ofinterstate conflict. Investigating 137 countries from 1976 to 1996 this bookseeks to shed light on this question. Specifically three results emerge.First while different aspects of democracy decrease repressive behaviour notall do so to the same degree. Human rights violations are especially responsiveto electoral participation and competition. Second while different types ofrepression are reduced not all are limited at comparable levels. Personalintegrity violations are decreased more than civil liberties restrictions.Third the domestic democratic peace is not bulletproof the negative influenceof democracy on repression can be overwhelmed by political conflict. Thisresearch alters our conception of repression its analysis and its resolution. «