The Futility of Economic Sanctions as an Instrument of National Power in the 21st Century.
Abstract
Economic sanctions have been used for centuries as a tool of warfare, with some notable successes such as the demise of Apartheid in South Africa. Today however, their effectiveness is diminishing for a number of reasons. The purpose of this paper is to show that economic sanctions are no longer an effective instrument of national power. Many countries that are the targets of sanctions, such as Cuba and Iran, have been able to withstand sanctions imposed by the U.S., and indeed have started to grow at impressive rates in spite of them. Without the cooperation of the nations of the world whenever sanctions are contemplated, their effectiveness will be severely reduced. The advent of computers, speed of light communication networks, giant multi-national corporations, and the proliferation of banking networks are combining to make modern nations impervious to economic attack. The future of economics as part of the four instruments of national power is in jeopardy as the world moves forward from the industrial age into the information age.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA343749
Entities
People
- George T. Doran
Organizations
- United States Army War College