Economic sanction

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Economic sanctions are all attempts to influence the behavior of other states by means of economic instruments . This attempted influence takes place via a - real or perceived - change in the cost / benefit ratio of alternative behaviors.

Types of sanctions

Sanctions can affect different areas:

  • Sanctions in the field of sport and culture lead to a ban on participation in international events.
  • Traffic sanctions lead to the ban on shipping and air traffic with other countries.
  • Trade sanctions lead to a ban on imports and exports .
  • Financial sanctions lead to the freezing of foreign accounts and the ban on financial transfers.
  • Sanctions can also aim to suspend development aid.
  • Communication sanctions lead to the interruption of telecommunications connections.
  • Diplomatic sanctions include the exclusion from international organizations, the closure of diplomatic missions and a travel ban for politicians and the military.
  • Sanctions designed to reduce military strength lead to an arms embargo .

Sanctions can be comprehensive or partial:

  • Comprehensive economic sanctions : Comprehensive economic sanctions are understood as the complete interruption of trade relations with the state burdened by sanctions . Also import and export bans as well as capital transfer bans are among the "pressure" of comprehensive economic sanctions.
  • Partial economic sanctions: These are unilateral sanctions that provide for restrictions within an area or economic sector. This also includes import and export bans on certain goods.
  • Targeted economic sanctions (smart sanctions or targeted sanctions): These are targeted restrictions against responsible leadership elites of states or rebel organizations. This includes the freezing of government or private accounts, entry and exit bans, import bans for certain goods (e.g. blood diamonds , oil embargo ). The population should be spared as much as possible.

Further forms of sanctions:

  • Positive sanctions: The prospect of possible benefits as an incentive is called positive sanctions.
  • Collective economic sanctions : UN sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council, for example for violating human rights. According to Art. 25 of the UN Charter, these are binding for all member states.

history

Ancient and Middle Ages

In ancient times, too, economic sanctions were occasionally carried out outside of sieges. For example, Athens imposed a trade ban on Megara as a punishment for supporting the Spartans. In the Middle Ages, the Hanseatic League in particular used the severance of all economic relations as a means of pressure.

Modern times

In modern times, the combination of military and economic pressure has been a common means of pursuing political goals. For example, in 1584, during the Eighty Years' War , the Dutch fleet closed the Flemish ports under Spanish rule from maritime trade. This was the first time that an economic blockade was imposed on an entire region.

With the continental barrier , Napoleonic France tried from 1806 to 1813 to cut off England from trade with mainland Europe. The measure failed for France, as the economic damage was great, while England was able to intensify trade relations with the rest of the world. In 1832 England and France blocked the Dutch ports to force the Netherlands to recognize Belgium's independence.

In the 19th century, mutual economic dependencies grew, and this also made economic sanctions more important. In the First World War, for example, the extensive economic blockade of the Allies against the Central Powers was a factor of decisive importance for the war. Not only raw materials required for weapons production, but also food had to be rationed. The catastrophic nutritional situation caused 424,000 starvation deaths in the German Reich alone and favored the pandemic of the Spanish flu of 1918.

League of Nations

Between 1920 and 1945 international economic sanctions were adopted in the League of Nations . In the League of Nations measures had to be decided unanimously, which is why the League of Nations did not reach a resolution in most conflicts.

Because of the Chaco War , the League of Nations imposed a general arms embargo on Bolivia and Paraguay in May 1934. This was implemented by almost all member states by August 1934. In November 1934 a report of the council on the peaceful end to the conflict was passed, but only Bolivia accepted it. As a result, the sanctions were unilaterally upheld against Paraguay. In July 1935 there was a peace treaty. It is assumed that in addition to the mutual exhaustion of war, the sanctions also promoted readiness for peace.

On the occasion of the Abyssinian War , economic sanctions were decided against Italy, which should come into force in November 1935. The measures included an arms embargo, a capital embargo, an import embargo for Italian goods and a partial export embargo to Italy. Most of the League of Nations participated in the embargo, with the exception of the USA, the Soviet Union and the German Reich. The embargo resulted in a reduction in Italian foreign trade by 36% (from November 1934 to June 1935) and a decrease in the volume of imports by 30%. By May 1936, however, Italy managed to completely conquer Abyssinia. Economic sanctions were lifted two months later. In the period that followed, the League of Nations was no longer able to act due to international tensions. Neither in the Spanish Civil War nor in the Sino-Japanese War were there any noteworthy measures.

United Nations

In 1946 the League of Nations was replaced by the United Nations . In 1949 an arms embargo was decided against Albania and Bulgaria because of the support of uprisings in Greece. An embargo on strategic and military goods against China and North Korea was recommended because of the Korean War . Because of the apartheid policy and the Namibia question, extensive economic sanctions were recommended against South Africa. Likewise against Portugal because of its colonial policy. To the extent that the recommendations were only non-binding, they were only implemented incompletely in individual countries. The United Nations was largely paralyzed by the Cold War. Binding economic sanctions were only issued twice between 1946 and 1990. In 1966 comprehensive economic sanctions against Rhodesia and in 1979 an arms embargo against South Africa. When the Cold War ended in 1990, numerous sanctions were adopted.

Comprehensive economic sanctions including an arms embargo were imposed on Iraq (1990–2003, since 2003 only arms embargo and financial sanctions), the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1992–1996 and 1998–2001). An arms embargo was imposed on Somalia (since 1992), Libya (1992–2003), Liberia (since 1992), Haiti (1993–1994), Angola (1993–2002), Rwanda (1994–1995), Sudan (since 2004) , Sierra Leone (1997–1998, 2000–2003), Afghanistan (since 1999), Ethiopia and Eritrea (2000–2001), Democratic Republic of the Congo (since 2003), Ivory Coast (since 2004). In addition, there are often travel restrictions and financial sanctions against members of the government. Since 1992, increasing targeted economic sanctions have been imposed. For example, it was banned to deliver spare parts for oil refineries to Libya. An international import ban on blood diamonds was imposed on Liberia . An oil embargo against Haiti. An oil embargo against Angola and Sierra Leone and the ban on the export of non-certified diamonds.

Criticisms

This article or the following section is not adequately provided with supporting documents ( e.g. individual evidence ). Information without sufficient evidence could be removed soon. Please help Wikipedia by researching the information and including good evidence.

Criticisms of the imposition of these sanctions can be found primarily in relation to the humanitarian situation of the population . Most often, sanctions are still imposed on countries from the third world, where there are already enormous deficits in supplying the population and in economic development. As a result of restrictions and additional hurdles, especially in export and import-dependent countries, these often have negative effects on the life and health of the population (e.g. Burundi ). There is therefore a risk that sanctions imposed may have a counterproductive effect.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Henning C. Schneider: Economic sanctions , Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1999, ISBN 3-428-09291-0 , p. 34.
  2. ^ Gregor Schotten, United Nations Economic Sanctions , BWV Verlag 2010, ISBN 9783830524090 , p. 86
  3. ^ Gregor Schotten, United Nations Economic Sanctions , BWV Verlag 2010, ISBN 9783830524090 , p. 90
  4. ^ Gregor Schotten, United Nations Economic Sanctions , BWV Verlag 2010, ISBN 9783830524090 , p. 82
  5. ^ Gregor Schotten, United Nations Economic Sanctions , BWV Verlag 2010, ISBN 9783830524090 , pp. 81, 82
  6. ^ Gregor Schotten, United Nations Economic Sanctions , BWV Verlag 2010, ISBN 9783830524090 , pp. 81, 82
  7. ^ Gregor Schotten, United Nations Economic Sanctions , BWV Verlag 2010, ISBN 9783830524090 , p. 82
  8. ↑ Deutsches Ärzteblatt, 2015; 112 (6): A 230–2, Wolfgang U. Eckart, First World War 1914–1918: Hunger and shortage at home
  9. ↑ Henning C. Schneider, Economic Sanctions , Duncker & Humblot, 1997, ISBN 9783428492916 , p. 53
  10. ↑ Henning C. Schneider, Economic Sanctions , Duncker & Humblot, 1997, ISBN 9783428492916 , p. 54
  11. ^ Henning C. Schneider, Economic Sanctions , Duncker & Humblot, 1997, ISBN 9783428492916 , pp. 57-58
  12. ^ Gregor Schotten, United Nations Economic Sanctions , BWV Verlag 2010, ISBN 9783830524090 , pp. 85, 86
  13. ^ Gregor Schotten, United Nations Economic Sanctions , BWV Verlag 2010, ISBN 9783830524090 , pp. 87-89