Soft Power v Hard Power Flashcards
define soft power
soft power is a concept developed by Joseph Nye
it refers to the ability of a state to persuade others to do what it wants without using force or coercion (which constitutes hard power)
this can be achieved through appeal and attraction which may include the use of culture, political ideals and foreign policies
examine the factors that account for the increased use of soft rather than hard power in global politics
globalisation
improving literacy rates and educational standards
failed attempts to use hard power in the past
spread of democracy
globalisation
one factor that may account for the increased use of soft power rather than hard power in global politics is globalisation, which has caused a growth in complex interdependence and interconnectedness between states
it has resulted in a world of global markets and global issues such as environmental degradation, meaning that states tend to use soft power in order to maintain stability and avoid conflict with other states as they all depend on eachother
the EU is a notable example of this; it is inconceivable for EU member states to use hard power against one another because they are so deeply connected and dependent on eachother due to the single market, so much so that the action of one state almost always impacts the others
in an increasingly globalised world, goals are better achieved and tension is better resolved through co-operation rather than conflict because states are increasingly intertwined in terms of culture, politics and the economy
improving literacy rates and educational standards
another factor behind the growth in the use of soft power is improving literacy rates and educational standards which have allowed more people to gain a better understanding of other cultures which they can compare against their own
in this sense, they become more susceptible to soft power as they are increasingly exposed to appealing cultures of other countries
those countries with appealing cultures have an increased ability to persuade other cultures to do as they please, as an attractive culture brings them more global influence
for example, a reason for the collapse of the Soviet Union was its dogmatic commitment to an ideology that could not compete with the attractions of capitalist materialism seen in the West – in other words, the unattractive nature of their culture led them to have little sustainable global influence
contrastingly, the US culture, specifically Silicon Valley, Hollywood and the ‘American Dream’, is very attractive to others which increases its ability to use soft power and influence others
due to improving literacy rates, the opportunity for a state like the US to advance their cultural and political views has never been greater, so states are more likely to use soft power
failed attempts to use hard power in the past
finally, states seem to be less willing to use hard power due to failed attempts to do so in the past, which has driven a shift to soft power
the use of military power has damaged the credibility and international standing of states that use it
for instance, the Iraq War arguably undermined US influence in global politics
the torture of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers during the war decreased the USA’s international reputation and led Obama to shift to a policy of soft power
furthermore, hard power seems to be decreasing in effectiveness
conflict with states like Iraq and Afghanistan have proved difficult to win due to the strategies of guerrilla warfare and terrorism, which the US faced issues with during the Iraq War
similarly, economic sanctions (a form of hard power) are only effective on states that seek to access the global economy
this is why sanctions on North Korea have been largely ineffective in changing their pursuit of nuclear weapons
these factors have led to the increased use of soft power as it’s becoming clear that hard power in its many forms is waning in its effectiveness and seems to have little benefits for everyone involved
spread of democracy
the spread of democracy may also be linked to the increased use of soft power in global politics
according to the democratic peace thesis, democracies are far less likely to engage in war and conflict as it directly contradicts their democratic values such as the importance of cooperation
institutions like the EU have contributed to the spread of democracy because it is a requirement to be a liberal democracy in order to become a member state
these states, being based on democratic values, tend to favour the use of soft power to achieve their objectives
this can be seen in the fact that Europe, especially Western Europe, has been relatively peaceful since the EU was created
