Democratic Peace Theory suggests that democracies rarely wage war against which type of state?

Democratic Peace Theory posits that democracies are unlikely to engage in war with one another. This is based on the premise that democratic states share common norms, values, and mechanisms that promote peaceful conflict resolution, such as political accountability, transparency, and a public that has a vested interest in avoiding the costs of war. Democracies are also characterized by open, democratic processes that allow for negotiation and compromise, reducing the likelihood of violent conflict between them.

In contrast, when it comes to conflicts with nondemocratic states, democracies may operate under different incentives and rationales, which could lead to military confrontation. Authoritarian regimes and monarchies, which may lack similar political structures and peaceful conflict resolution mechanisms, do not share the same historical pattern of avoidance that exists between democracies. Therefore, this aligns with the theory's core assertion that the unique characteristics of democratic governance create an environment where peace prevails among democracies, making it rare for them to wage war against each other.