The Imperative to Regulate and Limit Economic Warfare

Abstract

Economic sanctions have become one of the most prevalent tools of international affairs and modern statecraft, yet norms and regulations governing their use have not kept pace. Their popularity stems from the perception that they offer an intermediate tool that allows policymakers to signal strong opposition without incurring the costs of direct military engagement. Yet high-profile sanctions cases involving Cuba, Iraq, Iran, Venezuela, and Syria have shown that sanctions can consistently inflict severe humanitarian costs. This piece calls for a code of conduct for sanctions and discusses the major hurdles to establishing one.