The Limits of Global Sanctions

Global sanctions

Sanctions, whether unilateral, imposed by one country, or multilateral, a collective decision by multiple countries or international organizations, are the tool of choice for addressing a range of security threats. Whether aimed at individuals, companies, or entire nations, the aim is to place pressure on the targeted party with the goal of achieving a desired change in behavior, policy, or leadership. While the specific impact can vary widely, in general, sanctions work by limiting access to goods and services and reducing the economic incentives for the targeted party.

While the effectiveness of sanctions is a complex issue and can be difficult to measure, an analysis of the results of over 200 sanction policies reveals that they achieve at least some of their intended outcomes 34% of the time. In particular, sanctions aimed at modest policy changes – rather than regime change or military impairment – have a higher chance of success.

However, sanctions can also have unintended consequences. For instance, restrictions on trade can lead to a loss of jobs in the high-wage export sector and a reduction in domestic wages for those workers who are left behind. They can also create a moral dilemma by undermining a country’s dignity and by violating the right to free expression. As such, sanctions should be carefully weighed against their intended objectives. This is why it’s important to understand the limits of sanctions — and to ensure that they are used only in ways that are consistent with international law.