# What good are sanctions?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-good-are-sanctions/498053>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [May 29, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-good-are-sanctions/498053 "2009-05-29T17:37:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-good-are-sanctions/498053/1 "2009-05-29T17:37:29Z")

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This has probably been done before, but I have to ask, as the UNSC is currently considering further sanctions against North Korea, what good do sanctions do? I can see them working against a country where the leader enjoys considerable popular support, but in the case of Kim Jong Il, it seems that sanctions will hurt the people and do nothing to him. It may be the case that Kim is no longer running things in NK, but the same argument applies to a cadre of generals.

Thanks,  
Rob

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**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-good-are-sanctions/498053/2 "2009-05-29T18:21:26Z")

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It depends what the sanctions are. You could make their UN ambassador sit up in the nosebleeds, not invite military types to arms fairs, ban the export of luxury goods. That upsets those in power, but leaves the starving peasants unaffected  
It turns out that’s [exactly what happened in 2006](http://www.globalpolicy.org/security-council/index-of-countries-on-the-security-council-agenda/north-korea.html)

> [@](#):
>
> Following North Korea’s nuclear test in October 2006, Security Council members imposed sanctions on Pyongyang. The “targeted” sanctions include an embargo on military and technological materials and luxury goods, as well as a set of financial sanctions.

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**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-good-are-sanctions/498053/3 "2009-05-29T19:22:52Z")

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For all the good it did. Do they have any more cards to play?