Oneal and Russett

Oneal and Russett are political scientists who studied what makes countries less likely to go to war with each other. They found that democracies—countries where citizens have a say through elections—and countries that are economically connected through alliances and trade, tend to avoid conflict. Their research suggests that shared democratic values and economic ties create mutual understanding and dependencies, making war less likely. Essentially, they argue that peaceful relations are promoted when countries are both democracies and economically interlinked, creating a system of mutual benefit and communication that discourages conflict.