Conflict and punishment in a liberal order The rise and success of economic sanctions

This thesis investigates the rise of economic coercion that has followed the end of the Cold War. Although liberal scholars argue that the advancement of liberal institutions and popular objection to violence in international relations should result in cooperation and peace between states, research shows a substantial increase in the use of economic sanctions since the end of the Cold War. This thesis argues that liberal institutions — democracy and international organisations — paradoxically create incentives and constraints that stimulate threats of, imposition of, and cooperation on economic sanctions. Since the end of the Cold War resulted in an advancement of liberal institutions, it also generated scope for increased use of economic sanctions. Consequently, in a liberal world order, the exercise of power in international relations is being rechannelled into economic coercion.