Democratization and the Danger of War

In their provocative article on Democratization and the Danger of War Professors Edward Mansfield and Jack Snyder offer a stimulating analysis of the link between and war involvement.' Unfortunately, however, they draw from it the mistaken policy conclusion that the international community should cease its ongoing efforts to further the spread of liberal forms of government. A careful reading of recent developments in Central and Eastern Europe suggests, on the contrary, that the acceleration of democratic transformations is more likely to mitigate international conflicts. Mansfield and Snyder warn against what they consider naive enthusiasm for spreading peace by promoting democratization (p. 36). Instead of using their influence for pushing authoritarian states towards liberalization, the authors claim, Western governments should focus on devising strategies for managing democratic transitions in ways that minimize the risk of war involvement. As Mansfield and Snyder point out, this directly challenges the official policy of the Clinton administration with its pro-