Should Promoting Democracy Abroad Be a Top U.S. Priority?

Yes, promoting democracy abroad should be a top U.S. priority. Democracies have not only been historically less likely to fight wars with other democracies, but they also tend to have faster economic growth than non-democracies. According to Joseph Siegle in "Developing Democracy: Democratizers' Surprisingly Bright Development Record," low income democracies have better living standards than autocracies. He says that the democracies that do the best are the ones that have checks and balances on the executive and other branches of government. Countries that have democracy also tend to have stronger systems of accountability than autocratic states. Becoming a democracy can be very difficult for third-world nations, but if done successfully, it is a benefit to the country and the world. Promoting democracy promotes peace and economic growth in the world.