Comments on: Is Economic Sanctions the Right Course of Action on Iran? http://www.mattandleighann.com/2005/11/is-economic-sanctions-the-right-course-of-action-on-iran A Few More Pirates Wouldn't Hurt Either Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:16:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Matt http://www.mattandleighann.com/2005/11/is-economic-sanctions-the-right-course-of-action-on-iran/comment-page-1#comment-276 Matt Fri, 04 Nov 2005 22:09:48 +0000 http://www.mattandleighann.com/?p=335#comment-276 This is just a question: Are there any historical examples of economic sanctions making a significant effect on a society removing a dictatorship from within? I would be interested to know because, intuitively, it seems like they would result in a larger percentage of the wealth being concentrated in the dictatorship's network and make the entire country more dependent on the government for basic necessities. Also, I'm not sure how much the religious angle matters as countries like North Korea, Cuba, and any number of South American locales have done a pretty good job of brining sanctions upon themselves despite religion having a very weak influence. This is just a question: Are there any historical examples of economic sanctions making a significant effect on a society removing a dictatorship from within?

I would be interested to know because, intuitively, it seems like they would result in a larger percentage of the wealth being concentrated in the dictatorship’s network and make the entire country more dependent on the government for basic necessities.

Also, I’m not sure how much the religious angle matters as countries like North Korea, Cuba, and any number of South American locales have done a pretty good job of brining sanctions upon themselves despite religion having a very weak influence.

]]> By: FOB-FriendofBush http://www.mattandleighann.com/2005/11/is-economic-sanctions-the-right-course-of-action-on-iran/comment-page-1#comment-272 FOB-FriendofBush Fri, 04 Nov 2005 18:49:38 +0000 http://www.mattandleighann.com/?p=335#comment-272 The question is not "will sactions help or hurt," but whether citizens of a country hold their leaders accountable to basic human rights like education, health, freedom and the like. Notice that having nuclear weapons is not a basic human right, particularly for leaders of governments with church-state structures. The leaders need to re-direct their spending away from warfare and towards the welfare of their citizens. Sanctions over a few years can help to get the leaders attention to do just that, e.g. Syria, I hope. I agree that sanctions for decades is like not having sanctions at all, e.g. Cuba. Money flowing into the "private" sector of a church-state government is like money flowing into a dictator's coffers. Besides, with the price of oil, Iran has enough money already to foster capitalism if the leaders want to. We must be tough with Iran. The question is not “will sactions help or hurt,” but whether citizens of a country hold their leaders accountable to basic human rights like education, health, freedom and the like. Notice that having nuclear weapons is not a basic human right, particularly for leaders of governments with church-state structures.

The leaders need to re-direct their spending away from warfare and towards the welfare of their citizens. Sanctions over a few years can help to get the leaders attention to do just that, e.g. Syria, I hope.

I agree that sanctions for decades is like not having sanctions at all, e.g. Cuba.

Money flowing into the “private” sector of a church-state government is like money flowing into a dictator’s coffers. Besides, with the price of oil, Iran has enough money already to foster capitalism if the leaders want to. We must be tough with Iran.

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