9
will not be affected by whether they are interacting with democratic or non-democratic
states. Instead, factors central to the democratic culture and decision making process will
determine their foreign policy not the regime type of the ‘other’. This is referred to in the
literature as the monadic. The monadic suggests that it does not necessarily take two
states to create peace, as democracies are more pacific. Proponents of this variant of the
democratic peace theory argue that democratic states are less likely to use force in the
international system and that this holds irrespective of the type of political system a
potential enemy might or might not have.
25
This variant implies that relations between
Russia and Ukraine could be improved if one or other of these states developed
democratic institutions and norms and values and this improvement would occur
irrespective of the transition process-taking place next door. The assumption behind both
the dyadic and monadic explanations is that democratisation shapes and influences
foreign policy and by extension relations between states.
Applying these democratic ideals to Russia and Ukraine is tricky as both states are
newly independent with embryonic democratic structures and political culture. Mansfield
and Snyder argue that states in the process of democratisation are more likely to engage
in war as they are characterised by weak institutionalised democratic procedures and
illiberal societies.
26
They maintain that in partial democracies elites mobilise public opinion
with appeals to nationalism or ethnicity and engage in prestige strategies in foreign affairs
to enhance their authority. This version of the democratic peace theory suggests that while
partial democracy and the process of democratisation is likely to impinge negatively on
relations between these two states there are two important ways in which external donors
could help to mitigate its pernicious effects. First, external assistance might be provided to
help create what is termed a ‘responsible marketplace of ideas’ in which myths
propounded by the elite and privileged groups to substantiate their position and block
25
R J Rummel, ‘Democracies ARE Less Warlike Than Other Regimes’ European Journal of
International Relations, 1/4, December 1995, pp.457-479.
26
Edward D Mansfield and Jack Snyder, ‘Democratisation and the Danger of War’, International
Security, 20/1 (Summer 1995), p.5-38.
Convention