Sanctions: A Theoretical Review

In this chapter, Borozna and Kochtcheeva present a comprehensive analysis of research on sanctions, covering their various types, objectives, and their effectiveness in influencing the foreign policy direction of the states they are imposed upon. The synthesis of empirical evidence strongly suggests that, in the realm of coercive diplomacy, economic sanctions are typically ineffective. Targeted nations frequently do not modify their foreign policy stances and tend to maintain their domestic political trajectories. Paradoxically, sanctions can sometimes produce negative consequences for the states imposing them. The research shows that due to the damage that sanctions inflict on the economies of the targeted states, countries subject to sanctions perceive them as a threat to their national security. The destructive effect on the economy of the targeted state is comparable to the destruction of the state economy during a military intervention. Additionally, the research in security studies reveals how states can frame discussions surrounding sanctions as matters of national security. This framing is a strategic tool that governments use to rally their populations to endure the hardships brought about by sanctions. This not only eases the burden on the targeted state but also contributes to the limited success of sanctions in terms of achieving their goals.