Debating the Democratic Peace (International Security Readers)

Rating:
Summary: It can't get any better than this
Review: In essense, this is a response to the prior review. I agree with everything but the last line which I will paraphrase: what has been said has been said about the democratic peace proposition and theorists need to move on. The last chapter of this book, contributed by Michael Doyle, outlines future paths that research of the DPT can continue, and considering that the U.S. government emphasizes the development of democracy in many of its foreign policy endeavers, sometimes with out success, it is imperative that more work be continued. This collaboration of essays provides an excellent starting point understand the debate, but further analysis is continuing. If you are intersted in the DPT, DO NOT END HERE!

Rating:
Summary: It can't get any better than this
Review: In essense, this is a response to the prior review. I agree with everything but the last line which I will paraphrase: what has been said has been said about the democratic peace proposition and theorists need to move on. The last chapter of this book, contributed by Michael Doyle, outlines future paths that research of the DPT can continue, and considering that the U.S. government emphasizes the development of democracy in many of its foreign policy endeavers, sometimes with out success, it is imperative that more work be continued. This collaboration of essays provides an excellent starting point understand the debate, but further analysis is continuing. If you are intersted in the DPT, DO NOT END HERE!

Rating:
Summary: The Best Guide to the Debate
Review: Since the publication of Michael Doyle's piece on Liberalism and Democracy in 1983, the debate over the democratic piece has been one of the most vigorous in the field of International Relations. This volume includes all the major works on the subject, including Doyle's original piece, as well as his latest thinking. Also included are John Owen's perceptual explanation of the democratic piece, and David Spiro's brilliant quantitative critique of it. For those looking to understand the debate, it is clearly the best body of work yet in print. The only drawback is that the debate seems to be tapped out; there is little new to contribute, and some feel enough has been said already and we need to move in directions.