Question: Has a democratic nation ever declared war on another democratic nation?

[InvisibleChurch]

I'd heard somewhere that a country that has a democratically elected govt has never attacked another country with a democratically elected govt. Is this so? Or does this all depend on what the meaning of "democratically elected" is?

[C210N]

If the South had won the Civil war, I'd consider that somewhat analagous to the Revolutionary war.

[Vaquero]

When Hitler was appointed in January 1933, Germany was a democracy. Germany had fair elections; nobody had their right to vote abused; there were numerous political parties you could vote for etc. To pass a law, the Reichstag had to agree to it after a bill went through the normal processes of discussion, arguments etc. Within the Reichstag of January 1933, over 50% of those who held seats were against the Nazi Party. Therefore it would have been very unlikely for Hitler to have got passed into law what he wanted. Many saw Hitler as a fall-guy politician who would have to shoulder to blame if things got worse under his leadership. Hitler had promised a general election for March 1933. This would have been, in his mind, the perfect opportunity for him to show all politicians who opposed him where the true loyalties lay in the German people. In fact, 1932 had shown Hitler that there was a possibility that support for the Nazis had peaked as their showing in the November 1932 election had shown. Anything other than a huge endorsement of Hitler and the Nazi Party would have been a disaster and a gamble which it is possible that Hitler did not want to take. One week before the election was due to take place, the Reichstag building burned down. Hitler immediately declared that it was the signal for a communist takeover of the nation. Hitler knew that if he was to convince President Hindenburg to give him emergency powers - as stated in the Weimar Constitution - he had to play on the old president's fear of communism. What better than to convince him that the communists were about to take over the nation by force?

[Donald Meaker]

Hitler's party, the National Socialist German Worker's Party was elected with 33 percent of the vote, but then ended elections, and banned other parties. He was never elected President after Hindenberg died, but rather illegally assumed both the Chancellor and President roles.

Is is necessary to point out that Germany was no longer a democracy after elections were abolished and competing parties were banned?

[SandRat]

Nope WWI occurred with treaty entanglements that had Democratic Governments,Parlamentary Monarchies, and Monarchies, declaring war on Monarchies.

No on WWII also. That had Dictatorships attacking Democratic Governments,and Parlamentary Monarchies and one Dictatorship claiming to be a democracy (CCCP).

[Donald Meaker]

The South did not appeal to legality because they would have lost. They appealed to the sword, and lost.

The US existed before the current constitution according to the Articles of Confederation, in a perpetual union. Robert E. Lee admitted as much. Pity he didnt act on those convictions, rather than on his misplaced loyalty to his State.

[investigateworld]

Care to make a call?

[Publius6961]

Saddam was 'democratically elected,' for example.

Good grief!
To use that oxymoron is simply comical.

Nazi Germany is a bit more controversial as to whether is was "democratically" established or not. In this latter case, it is by no means clear.

I remember a multi-hundred post thread last year arguing the point.

In Saddam's case the claim is simply a sick joke.

[Publius6961]

Duh! Germany declared war on the US in 1941.

"Double DUH!"
You seem to be unaware of the status of Germany at the time, as the result of Hitler's "election", the many mysterious deaths that followed, enabling him to become the unchallenged Nazi leader. That sequence of events will be debated forever.

[Reily]

It was a constitutional monarchy even then. Parliament existed and its members were elected even though the franchise was severely limited. Remember the revolutionary grievances were primarily directed at Parliament, e.g Lord North etc. (Burke and others who were out of Parliamentary power were sympathetic to the colonial cause!)

All in all I think the odds of democracies going to war against each other are much smaller then that of authoritarian regimes (Monarchies, dictatorships etc.) BUT not zero. !

[HitmanLV]

No argument from me, but technically he was an elected leader, even though the election was a charade and everybody knows it.

[A. Pole]

GB was a limited monarchy, or if you prefer, a parlimentary democracy.

So was pre WWI Germany and Austro-Hungary.

[A. Pole]

Is Serbia a democracy?

Much more than NATO beloved Bosnia. Actually Serbia has long democratic or rather parliamentary monarchy traditions.

[floridaobserver]

I would have to agree that the South was not really a well-established, functioning Democracy in 1861.

[LS]

The obvious answer is yes, the War of 1812. Then you have Germany, in 1914, governed by a Reichstag, although not to the same degree the Weimar Republic was. Also in WW I, Italy fought for the Central powers at the beginning of the war . . . against France. I'd have to check the actual status of France under Napoleon, but I don't think it was technically the "empire" until 1803, meaning England declared war on France sometime while it was still under the Directory (i.e., a Republic).

Japan also was ostensibly governed by the Diet, with the Emperor Hirohito merely a figurehead politically, but whether Japan actually declared war on China, or just invaded, I don't know.

[A. Pole]

The South did not appeal to legality because they would have lost. They appealed to the sword, and lost.

It is debatable. We could say it about North: "The North did not appeal to legality because they would have lost. They appealed to the sword, and WON."

[LS]

Good point on the Indians.

[LS]

No, by then most power was with Parliament.

[VeniVidiVici]

Some joker lib friend of mine was telling me that, "At least Chavez was democratically elected."

What he didn't mention was the boycott of the elections, Chavez's version of the SA and the fact his minions in their version of the House are on their way to install him as fearless leader till 2030. The guy's a fascist thorough and through.

[A. Pole]

It was a constitutional monarchy even then. Parliament existed and its members were elected even though the franchise was severely limited.

Same was with Germany and Austro-Hungary. At the start of WWI the only republics in Europe were France, Switzerland and San Marino.

[cowtowney]

I say we invade Canada now. Just so they learn to respect our a-u-t-h-o-r-i-t-y