Democratic Peace Theory, the Problems of Pluralism, and the Opposition to the Use of Military Force in the US

Abstract

Why does democratic peace theory not appear to apply to the US? Given the number of conflicts in which the US has participated, particularly since the turn of the twentieth century, it does not appear that citizens have often effectively restrained the state from entering into wars, as Kant predicted would be the case in republics. This article examines the role of pluralism and divisions within the ranks of wars` opponents as a possible factor in these failures.