How do audience costs help to explain the democratic peace?
A)As the audience in a democracy is always against war, it is difficult for a democratic leader to enter into war.
B)Audience costs no longer explain the democratic peace, as the audience in most democracies has a very weak knowledge of politics.
C)Audience costs describe the cost to a political leader of reneging on a promise. As there are stronger audience costs in a democracy than in a non-democratic state, democratic leaders are less likely to break a promise and enter into war.
D)Citizens and leaders in democracies respect the institutions of democracy, not only in their own country, but in other countries as well. They reject the idea of forcibly conquering another democracy.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Audience costs refer to the political costs leaders face when they fail to follow through on threats or promises, particularly in the context of international relations. In democracies, where leaders are accountable to a politically aware and active electorate, the costs of backing down from commitments are higher. This mechanism makes democratic leaders more cautious about making threats or promises they cannot keep, including those that might lead to war. This dynamic contributes to the theory of democratic peace, which posits that democracies are less likely to go to war with each other, partly because the political structures and the accountability mechanisms within democracies, including audience costs, make war less likely.

How Do Audience Costs Help to Explain the Democratic Peace