Abstract
Does NATO enlargement spread democracy? The issue has been vigorously disputed since the mid-1990s, but no consensus has yet emerged. We test rival claims about what NATO enlargement can and cannot do by examining three cases—Slovakia, Latvia, and Croatia. We use both numerical ratings by Freedom House and our own qualitative assessment to determine whether these three became more democratic after 1994, when NATO opened the door to expansion, and before 2002, when the second round of expansion was announced. Since all three were more democratic in 2002 than they were in 1994, we conclude that the “carrot” of NATO membership can indeed spread democracy to prospective members.
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