UN Security Council membership: Increased security and reduced conflict

United Nations Security Council (UNSC) membership comes with privileges. Existing research shows that the world's most powerful countries funnel financial favors to governments elected to the UNSC, arguably to influence their votes on matters of international importance. This study investigates whether these governments, whose election elevates them to prominent positions of power, also receive security benefits. We argue that elected UNSC members win the attention and protection of the world's super powers, and, as a result, are less likely to be attacked. But we further argue that the General Assembly and the world's super powers prefer pacific countries on the UNSC. In support of our theory, we find empirically that temporary membership on the UNSC is associated with lower rates of being targeted and lower rates of initiating conflict. We conclude that UNSC membership has existential benefits and is associated with a reduced likelihood of militarized disputes.