What do you think are the fundamental differences between democracies and non-democracieswith respect to their conflict behavior? In your answer, discuss why democratic leadersare often considered to be more accountable for foreign policy outcome than nondemocraticleaders (including how public opinion may or may not shape foreign policy), and whetheryou buy the conventional wisdom. What do you find to be the most compelling theoreticalexplanation for the empirical democratic peace findings, and why? What do you consider tobe the biggest theoretical/empirical shortcoming of the arguments in favor of the democraticpeace, and why?
