Ballots and Bullets

This text disputes the belief that "democracies don't fight each other". The author argues that those who belive a democratic peace exists, typically examine the 1815-1980 period as a whole, conflating the pre-World War I and post-World War II years. Examining these periods separately, the book contends that a democratic peace prevailed only during the latter period. It calls into question the conclusions of previous researchers and the wisdom of present US foreign policy initiatives.