Susceptibility to Public Opinion and Likelihood to Engage in War
Publication Date
Spring 2025
Presentation Length
15 minutes
College
College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
Department
Political Science, Department of
Student Level
Undergraduate
SPARK Category
Research
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Nathan Griffith
Presentation Type
Talk/Oral
Summary
Why do democracies go to war less often when they are more likely to win military engagements than other regime types? It is commonly believed that democracies are less likely to go to war, and scholars give a variety of reasons answering ‘why’. Some of these reasons are that democratic institutions make war less likely, while some argue that the voice of the people prevents democracies from going to war. The most satisfactory answer is that public opinion prevents politicians from acting for their own self-interest, instead forcing them to act on behalf of the people. Thus the strength of public opinion would affect a regime’s likelihood to go to war. In a democracy where the public is able to hold its politicians more accountable, that democracy will be less likely to go to war. This paper will examine the relationship between public opinion and war by using data on inter-state conflicts, a measure of politician’s susceptibility to public opinion, and a careful selection of democracies.
Recommended Citation
Easto, Joshua J., "Susceptibility to Public Opinion and Likelihood to Engage in War" (2025). SPARK Symposium Presentations. 595.
https://repository.belmont.edu/spark_presentations/595
