An emerging security community in the Americas? : a theoretical analysis of the consequences of the post-Cold War Inter-American democracy regime
Authors
Sanchez, David J.
Subjects
Advisors
Barletta, Michael
Trinkunas, Harold
Date of Issue
2003-03
Date
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The purpose of this thesis is to assess the actual and potential consequences of the inter-American democracy regime in the post-Cold War world. This thesis has three major arguments. First, the inter-American democracy regime "matters" because it can positively impact state and individual behavior in the post-Cold War inter-American system. Second, the three principles that constitute this regime (democracy, interdependence, and international organizations) are mutually reinforcing in perpetuating the "community of democracies" in the Western Hemisphere. Finally, this inter-American "community of democracies" is plausibly on a path to a pluralistic security community based on the logic of the post-Cold War inter-American democracy regime. This thesis places the actual and potential consequences of this regime into a broader, systemic context. This thesis critically examines two high-profile cases of democratic crisis, Paraguay (1996) and Peru (2000) to assess the actual impact of the post-Cold War inter-American democracy regime. These research findings are later extrapolated to assess the potential impact of this regime in the post-Cold War inter-American system. In short, this thesis concludes that, in the post-Cold War world, the Western Hemisphere is evidence of a liberal, qualitative peace.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
National Security Affairs
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
xii, 79 p. ;
Citation
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.