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Does Democracy Matter?

Author

Listed:
  • Sara Jackson Wade

    (Department of Political Science Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia)

  • Dan Reiter

    (Department of Political Science Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia)

Abstract

This article conducts quantitative tests on the relationship between regime type and suicide terrorism for 1980 to 2003. We present the recently popularized argument that democracies are more likely to experience suicide terrorism and a new hypothesis that mixed regimes are especially likely to experience suicide terrorism. We offer several improvements in research design, including using more controls, the nation-year as the unit of analysis, and more appropriate statistical techniques. Using both Freedom House and Polity data, we find that in general, regime type is uncorrelated with suicide terrorism. We do find that there is a statistically significant interaction between regime type and the number of religiously distinct minorities at risk (MARs) with suicide terrorism, but the statistical significance of this finding is limited, and its substantive impact is marginal. We also find that national size, Islam, national experience with suicide terrorism, and global experience with suicide terrorism affect the likelihood of suicide terrorism.

Suggested Citation

  • Sara Jackson Wade & Dan Reiter, 2007. "Does Democracy Matter?," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 51(2), pages 329-348, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jocore:v:51:y:2007:i:2:p:329-348
    DOI: 10.1177/0022002706298137
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pape, Robert A., 2003. "The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 97(3), pages 343-361, August.
    2. King, Gary & Zeng, Langche, 2001. "Explaining Rare Events in International Relations," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 55(3), pages 693-715, July.
    3. Jeffrey Pickering, 1999. "The structural shape of force: Interstate intervention in the zones of peace and turmoil, 1946--1996," International Interactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(4), pages 363-391, September.
    4. Eli Berman & David Laitin, 2005. "Hard Targets: Theory and Evidence on Suicide Attacks," NBER Working Papers 11740, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

    1. Eric D. Gould & Esteban F. Klor, 2010. "Does Terrorism Work?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 125(4), pages 1459-1510.
    2. Tim Krieger & Daniel Meierrieks, 2011. "What causes terrorism?," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 147(1), pages 3-27, April.
    3. James A. Piazza, 2013. "Regime Age and Terrorism: Are New Democracies Prone to Terrorism?," International Interactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(2), pages 246-263, April.

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