Precision-Guided or Blunt? The Effects of US Economic Sanctions on Human Rights

Jerg Gutmann, Matthias Neuenkirch and Florian Neumeier ()

No 2, ILE Working Paper Series from University of Hamburg, Institute of Law and Economics

Abstract: We use endogenous treatment-regression models to estimate the causal average treatment effect of US economic sanctions on four types of human rights. In contrast to previous studies, we find no support for adverse effects of sanctions on economic rights, political and civil rights, and basic human rights. With respect to women's rights, our findings even indicate a positive relationship. Emancipatory rights are, on average, strengthened when a country faces sanctions by the US. Our findings are robust when applying various changes to the empirical specification. Most importantly, this study provides strong evidence that the endogeneity of treatment assignment must be modelled when the consequences of sanctions are studied empirically.

Keywords: Democratization; Discrimination; Economic Sanctions; Endogenous Treatment Model; Human Rights; Interventionism; Protectionism; Repression; United States (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F51 F52 F53 K10 K11 P14 P16 P26 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-law and nep-pol
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Precision-guided or blunt? The effects of US economic sanctions on human rights (2020)
Working Paper: Precision-guided or blunt? The effects of US economic sanctions on human rights (2019)
Working Paper: Precision-Guided or Blunt? The Effects of US Economic Sanctions on Human Rights (2016)
Working Paper: Precision-Guided or Blunt? The Effects of US Economic Sanctions on Human Rights (2016)
Working Paper: Precision-Guided or Blunt? The Effects of US Economic Sanctions on Human Rights (2016)
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