Three Views on Violence, Sanctions and Ethics: A Law & Economics Analysis of Gordon, Lopez and Bastiat
34 Pages Posted: 12 May 2014
Date Written: May 12, 2014
Abstract
This article addresses the question of whether sanctions constitute violence in the broad sense of that term, and whether, and under what conditions, sanctions can be justified. The sanctions imposed against Iraq and Cuba are discussed as case studies and several ethical theories are applied to determine whether sanctions can be justified on ethical grounds. The views of Joy Gordon, George A. Lopez and Frederic Bastiat are examined as representative of three approaches that can be taken. The conclusion is that the imposition of sanctions constitutes unethical conduct regardless of which set of ethical principles are applied. A bibliography with links to other Bastiat studies is also included.
Keywords: utilitarian, ethics, rights theory, violence, sanctions, Joy Gordon, George A. Lopez, Frederic Bastiat, Iraq, Cuba, Broken Window Fallacy, justice, redistribution, rent seeking, theory of government, plunder, protectionism, trade
JEL Classification: B1, B12, B13, B22, B25, B31, B53, D63, D72, F1, F13, K11, O24, P16, P14
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation