Do economic sanctions weaken government power, or their constituents' power to resist?

[Whukid]

A fairly simple question, in my opinion. As we all know, a major topic in the US presidential election is the Iranian nuclear program. Regardless of your opinions on Iran and its nukes, what do you think about the Economic Sanctions that both Romney and Obama are in favor of? Do they work, how are they supposed to work, ect.?


In my opinion, they don't. Yes, the Iranian economy is in the tubes, yet it hasn't stopped Ahmadinejad from producing weaponized Uranium, a trend which I believe is going to continue. Honestly, I believe it actually has the opposite effect; instead of weakening the Ayatollah's power, the UN is only solidifying it. Without the money from worldwide exports and imports, the Iranian private sector has no form of income and therefore no means by which to resist the Iranian government.

In effect, we see a twist on the old "rich getting richer/poor getting poorer" argument.

[Treize]

Not too sure.

[conon394]

yet it hasn't stopped Ahmadinejad from producing weaponized Uranium

They are rather far from that...

On balance like military force or any other use of coercion on a nation to nation scale it kind of depends on the particulars. In this case let's be clear this issue is frankly only some huge issue to the US (for reasons I cannot seem to find credible), Israel (so let them bleed if its so important), and maybe the UK (again I don't see why they care) and few gulf state clients of the US (so I don't see why Americans boys should risk there lives for a fight Saudi boys should fight if Iran is such a threat or at least the Saudis could do us the favor of pumping more or subsiding more of our military ). The rest of Europe has grudging come around, but honestly Russia and China don't give rats butt and if they did they would stonewall just to give the USA a black eye. But importantly I think most Americans like to forget history. The US and UK toppled the Iranian government back in the day and put in place a dictatorial monarchy - so yes having the US tell you what to do - be it with sanctions or even a threat of force is likely to make the locals say screw you (you know we did like having the British tell us what to on the high seas and arm hostile Indian confederacies and ignore our sovereignty and did lead us to declaring war back in 1812). Compare say S Africa or Burma where the US has no poor track record for the local elite dictators/white minority hermit states can manipulate to make sanctions seem like an attack rather than a result of bad local policy.