In 432BCE, the Athenian empire imposed economic sanctions on Megara as a punitive measure, marking the first recorded case of such action. The Megarian decree aimed to teach a lesson without resorting to war, but it backfired as it may have contributed to triggering the Peloponnesian war. This pattern of using economic coercion continued throughout history, with mixed success rates.
The effectiveness of sanctions is debated, with goals categorized as psychological, to change policies, or material, to impact military or economic resources. Material goals tend to be more successful by inflicting economic pain. Recent western sanctions on Russia, both psychological and material, appear to be falling short in deterring Vladimir Putin’s actions.
The blog discusses instances where sanctions succeeded, like the fall of apartheid in South Africa, and failures like Cuba’s US embargo. It also highlights modern cases, such as US sanctions impacting Iran’s nuclear program but facing setbacks after policy changes. The article emphasizes the complexity and limitations of sanctions and their political implications.