Before ratification: understanding the timing of international treaty effects on domestic policies

Baccini, Leonardo and Urpelainen, Johannes (2014) Before ratification: understanding the timing of international treaty effects on domestic policies. International Studies Quarterly, 58 (1). pp. 29-43. ISSN 0020-8833

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Abstract

When do international treaties cause domestic policy adjustments? While previous research emphasizes the consequences of treaty ratification, we argue that the need to secure entry into force can induce states to change their policies already before ratification. If a state expects benefits from a treaty, it can increase the probability of foreign ratification by implementing policies that benefit pivotal domestic players within its partner country. Accordingly, studies that focus on policy change after ratification underestimate the importance of treaties and partly misconstrue the causal connection between treaties and policies. We test the theory against data on the relationship between North-South preferential trading agreements (PTAs) and automobile emission standards, finding that developing countries adopt automobile emission standards between the signature and ratification of North-South PTAs.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(IS...
Additional Information:	© 2013 International Studies Association
Library of Congress subject classification:	H Social Sciences > HE Transportation and Communications J Political Science > JZ International relations
Sets:	Departments > International Relations
Date Deposited:	16 May 2013 12:36
URL:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/50278/

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