More than a quarter of the world is under economic sanctions. But are they effective? And who bears the brunt of these measures? 

The United States and Western powers consider sanctions a diplomatic tool. Its targets consider sanctions economic blackmail, if not a form of warfare. The idea is to financially suffocate a country, and even force regime change.

But sanctions also can deepen poverty and even kill people without achieving their goal. Despite the harm to civilian populations, wealthy nations are imposing sanctions more and more.

Joining the discussion:

• Djavad Salehi-Isfahani is a Professor of Economics at Virginia Tech and one of the authors of “How Sanctions Work – Iran and the Impact of Economic Warfare.”
• Benjamin Norton is an investigative journalist and editor-in-chief of Geopolitical Economy Report. 
• Barbara Slavin is a Distinguished Fellow at The Stimson Center.
• Ivan Eland is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on Peace and Liberty at The Independent Institute.