Week 4

Democratic peace theory as a whole stresses the need for finding amicable means towards resolving the contentious issues faced. The various versions so present differ on account of the manner in which the basic principles of this theory may be incorporated but all together the function and motive of each is the same- making the world a peaceful place to live in.
While one of the version calls for absolute use of the peaceful means and war as the very last resort against aggression. A version of it exists that justifies the action of taking upon a nation for the sake of establishing democracy. One similar account of affair was seen in the early 21st century when Iraq was invaded for the core reason for enacting the long lost and long deprived democracy from its people. This version of the democratic peace theory is relatively aggressive in its outlook. This version can be termed as the amalgamation and the outlook of the recent political events and progress.
The engagement of war based on the claim of democracy is often seen as the paradox, however one of the three prominent versions of peace theory. The global order is advocated for in the form of democracy prevailing even if it required aggressive means adoption.
The second version of this theory stresses upon the economic aspect equality and balancing. This form does not include direct confrontation or any measures that are otherwise taken for the purpose of democratic enactment. This version of theory is considered to be closer to the original theme that was introduced as an alternative to the other theories that advocated war offensives and other extreme measures.
The third version of this theory is related to the international relations enactment. Although the aim is to ensure democratic setups, yet mutual cooperation and mutual co existence are two of the factors and variables that are stressed for in this version. The collective aims under this doctrine include poverty eradication, economic prosperity, respecting sovereignty and fighting all other ills and evils that are faced by the modern world (Zimelis).
The version pertaining to the global community based on mutual cooperation and respecting one another’s sovereignty amounts to the more relevant and most likely implementable form of democratic peace theory.
The theory is compelling based on the fact that the world has seen different other forms of ideologies yet the injustice, inequality and the oppression of the mighty against the weak has not stopped and is still in practice. As a result and response, the democratic peace theory serves as the possible remedy against the prevailing desperate outlook of the imbalanced world.
The advocates of the peace theory version of using force to enact democracy defend it by stating that the lack of action and intervention thereof means giving a free hand to the tyrants and not helping the weak and the poor. They term it a morally binding obligation upon the stronger and democratic nations enforcing democracy in those countries that have been kept void of people’s form of government- democracy.
References:
Zimelis, Andris. Trust and normative democratic peace theory: nexus between citizens and foreign policies? Research paper. Chicago: University of Illinois, 2011