ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AS A TOOL OF FOREIGN POLICY: EFFECTIVENESS AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATION

Abstract

Economic sanctions are one of the most commonly used instruments of foreign policy; they are used to influence the actions of states and other actors without using military action. This research paper focuses on the development, effectiveness, and ethical considerations of economic sanctions as an instrument of foreign policy. Using in- depth case studies of North Korea, Iran, and South Africa, this paper assesses the effectiveness of sanctions to achieve their purposes. Sanctions’ performance is gauged with both quantitative measures, like GDP decline and trade volume reduction, and qualitative variables such as geopolitical factors and the internal political strength of a country. However, the paper particularly focuses on the ethical effects of sanctions, particularly unanticipated humanitarian impacts and problems of proportionality. Thus the study presents policy recommendations that improve the effectiveness and moral feasibility of sanctions through the assimilation of new tools like AI and Block-chain in sanctioning as
well as across multilateral coordination. The paper thereupon adds to the contemporary debate on the role of economic sanctions in global governance, with a focus on innovative approaches and ethical grounds for responses to international challenges.