In countries sitting on the fence between nonproliferation and development of nuclear weapons, ruling coalitions pursuing economic liberalization are more likely to embrace regional nuclear regimes than are inward-looking, nationalist and radical-confessional coalitions. A review of developments on the Korean Peninsula, in South Asia, in the Middle East, and in Latin America provides impressive empirical support for this proposition. Liberalizing coalitions tend to oppose nuclear weapons programs both because of the favorable impact of this stance on efforts to garner international trade, aid, technology and investment, and because of potential reduction in government regulations and bloated budgets related to nuclear weapons programs.