Do SANCTIONS work?

Question

Do sanctions influence the leaders of countries who can eat
caviar, drink champagne, and make witty remarks? While the
masses starve and get angry? And are only too willing to pick up
a gun and fight?
We need to do everything in our power to UPLIFT the economic conditions in other countries. To boost the World Economy by opening up markets. And allowing the people of other countries to gain a level of material comfort.
Then, if a radical leader tells them to pick up a gun and fight! They willl tell him to take a hike!

Anthony Silva
Great Legislator

Answer 1

Sir, I agree with you. Sanctions do not work and should not be enforced.

Answer 2

Actually sometimes sanctions do work. Other times they fail. North Korea is already the worlds most isolated nation. If China joins in then sanctions might have an impact. If not then they probably will not be completely effective. N. Korea is a nation that cannot be fully self supportive. In the case of Iran it might be a lot tougher. They have more allies that will not support sanctions and are more self supportive.

Unfortunately, in some of these nations the people will never tell their leaders to take a hike. North Korea is a nation which believes it's leader is a semi Deity. Are you a religious person? Would you tell God to take a hike? That is the culture we are dealing with over there.

Answer 3

They work, in some circumstances. If a country thrives through international trade, there are few things worse than international sanctions. However, if a country thrives through being insular, then sanctions can only have a limited effect.

In the case of North Korea, they would fall under the second group. Kim Jong Il is in power because of a cult of personality he has developed. Thus, in general, trade sanctions/incentives hold little weight as a negotiating tool. However, if China implimented sanctions to limit NK's access to oil, etc. these sanctions would have a much stronger effect, since China is where NK gets most of its supplies.

Answer 4

Sanctions are the equivalent of forced monopoly of commerce. They work really well for the companies who are selling what is allowed by the sanctions, and also for the black-marketeers who slip things across sanctioned lines. It is interesting that we can sanction everything going in to a country, but we can't seem to sanction the opium products coming out of Afghanistan.
Your question and details indicate some latent idealism. Of course you're right, but the ones who can change things are the ones who made them the way they are. Their motive is profit, not helping the masses. When you look at who's profiting in politically engineered situations (such as 9-11), it is much easier to see through lies and propoganda. Afghanistan is the worlds largest opium producer. Heroin use in the US and Europe has risen sharply since we went into Afghanistan, under the pretense of finding bin Laden. Of course cornering the opium trade wasn't the primary purpose of going in there, it's just a fringe benefit. Pharmaceutical companies need opium too, but the bigger interim goal remains - to control fossil fuel commerce.

Answer 5

The people in N. Korea are starving now, but no ones seems to care in THAT country...I do think they work if applied strongly and kept in place.

Answer 6

Sanctions don't work, but they don't cost much either. As long as they can avoid solving endemic socio-economic and trade problems, world leaders will impose sanctions as lip service.

Answer 7

IN some ways. but over all it endes up hurting the peaple that are in the country. as there dictator or presadent gets more fat with power.

Answer 8

i agree with u 100%

Answer 9

they had better or there will be no dinner tonight young man

Answer 10

sure they do! but you should stop drinking ok