...Relating Hard and Soft Power Power is not black and white. Power is a shade of gray. What is power to one individual or state may not be considered power to another individual or state. Each international relations theory provides its own unique, largely ambiguous definition of power. Realism says that power is derived from military capabilities and to a lesser extent a state’s potential military abilities embodied in population size and economic resources available for conversion into military assets. (Shirk, “Realism” 2014) Liberalism and constructivism agree that while military and economic power are certainly important, a state’s economic power is not merely a mechanism to potentially strengthen military capacity but an influential factor that can be used to weaken an adversary. Likewise, a state’s international standing in well-established institutions like the World Trade Organization or the United Nations can greatly influence relations between states and should be considered a form of power. (Shirk, “Liberalism” 2014) Realism’s definition of power is more concerned with hard power, or a state’s ability to force another to behave in a manor it otherwise would not through military or economic means. Liberalism and constructivism’s definitions of power, though different, largely focus on soft power, or one state’s ability to convince another state that it wants what the first state wants too. (Shirk, “Power” 2014) Both kinds of power, hard and soft, do exist and...
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...Santos has made significant progress in anti-drug legislation and de-militarizing paramilitary factions before opening peace talks between the Columbian government, FARC and the ELN. The concept of the strength of a sovereign state can be defined by several factors. In the case of Columbia, there are significant trends that show it is transitioning from a weak state into a strong state. These trends in state power can be broken down into 3 categories: hard power, soft power and smart power. Hard power is just that. Government controlled military, police and other law enforcement agencies. Since 2002, Columbia’s military and police forces have grown by 50%. President Santos served as Defense Minister for 3 years prior to his Presidency. In that time he implemented many changes, which resulted in destabilizing prominent cartels and guerrilla insurgents. In 2012 it is estimated that threats of terrorist actions and control by organized crime was reduced to less than 6% of the nation. This is a direct result of the demobilization of several illegal arms groups. Soft Power is the use of diplomacy, negotiations and legitimacy. Nations need to have to ability to display their sovereignty to the global community through peaceful means. President Santos has used diplomacy in order to create a ceasefire with FARC and release all kidnapped persons by criminal organizations. All of these measures also made it feasible for President Obama to join the peace talks between...
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...Joseph Nye in The Powers to Lead defines what he believes to be a leader and the skills necessary to be a leader. Greg Mortenson, the focus of Three Cups of Tea, fulfills Nye’s definition of a leader. After failing to summit K2, Mortenson stumbled upon a small Pakistani village and began a journey that would not only change his life, but the lives of thousand of children in Pakistan. While building schools in Pakistan, Mortenson has helped transform the mindset of an entire nation about the value of education. Nye says that two-thirds of Americans believe they are in “leadership crisis” (Nye pre). After the collapse of the sub-prime housing market and recent economic struggles, who can blame them? Those who are looking for a leader, however, need look no further than Greg Mortenson. Joseph Nye defines a leader as one who “helps create and achieve shared goals” (Nye 18). A leader must act in a triangular system that involves the leader, his followers, and the context in which the situation exists (Nye 21). Mortenson works effectively as a member of the leadership triangle. He acts as the leader and his followers are the towns, villages, and refugee camps that receive the benefits of his schools, water systems, and community centers as well as his assistants and the members of the Central Asia Institute. The context in which Mortenson exercises his leadership is as equally important as the other two parts of the triangle. As Nye quotes Karl Marx as saying, “Men make...
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...Soft power and the Korean Wave (J. Nye/Y. Kim) – Summary Gabriela Santana, Jan/2015 1A Soft power: The ability to strengthen mutual [political] cooperation potentials and exercise [political] influence through attraction. It can be contrasted with hard power: HARD POWER (FORCE) | SOFT POWER (ATTRACTION) | Military technology EconomyCoercive diplomacyAggressive and threatening | Culture (acceptability)Political values (admiration and trust)Foreign policiesAttract and co-opt | 1B 1C “Carrots and sticks”: The combination of rewards and punishment to induce behavior. Inspired by this idiom, Nye suggests three main ways to exercise power in order to reach one’s desirable outcome: 1) threats and coercion (“sticks”); 2) inducements or payments (“carrots”); 3) attraction that makes others want the same thing you want (“soft power”). 2A Signs of soft power potential in South Korea: Economic success Democratic political system (human rights; free elections; distribution of power) Korean tradition (art, crafts and cuisine) Success of Korean diaspora overseas. 2B Strategies to enhance the soft power: Attracting foreign students Increasing its overseas assistance outside Asia Government, companies, universities and non-profit organizations working together to develop and sponsor Korean cultural projects in order to gain visibility...... Hosting international conferences and events that draw attention to its success. 3A Korean Wave as soft power tool: Encouraged...
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...The hazardous nature of soft power suggests that it may take several attempts for that ritual ceremony to produce outcomes: if more and more people attend the ceremony because they are convinced that it works, then they are genuinely attracted to it, which allows soft power to affect the audience. Soft power takes thus longer time to show results than hard power. Furthermore, preferences may change. This year’s new trend might be short skirts, but next year’s might be long skirts, and the next only pants. As a result, more women may wear short skirts the first year, then long skirts, then pants. It would be then difficult to observe whether women actually are attracted to short skirts or not. Similarly, since soft power is based on preferences, policy makers must be aware of what seduces people. Attraction is the main characteristic of soft power. Either through culture, values or polices –or all –, soft...
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...The notion of power has largely been structured within realist context of boot and bullets. The emergence of new paradigms particularly Neoliberalism and Constructivism owing to changes in global engagement from selfish pursuit of state to cooperation towards mutual beneficial outcome staged serious challenge to the notion of hard power anchored in realism through the birth of soft power. The notion of power (soft power) set forth by these paradigms has begun to attract significant interest among academics and even practitioners in politics which has set a new wave of thinking and evaluation of statecraft in International relations. A number of developments in global politics have played into the increasing relevance of soft power in recent...
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...fascinating link in the scholarship on the history of the application of power overseas by the United States. There remains a vast bulk of scholarship about customary topics of U.S. foreign relations, such as military intervention and occupation, diplomatic negotiations, and bilateral and multilateral treaties. The volume of scholarship on less traditional topics, whether of the effects of cultural exchange, development aid, and transnational organizations and movements develops in parallel each year, albeit at a much slower rate. However, there remains a split in the field, categorized by the terminology of ‘‘hard’’ and ‘‘soft’’ power. The application of soft power, according to Kuzmarov,...
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...main issues being faced around the world is a terrorist group known as ISIS or ISIL. The radical islamic group has been making demonstrations of their power for a few years now. Using violent tactics such as mass public murders, and executions which are often filmed and put on the internet as propaganda. Some of those videos were analyzed in the video The...
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...Most people already know what the definition of hard power is as such it can be made optional or compulsory. However, in a world dominated by information rather than imitation, there are more ingredients that mark important roles in managing and winning international awareness. The changing nature of power by Joseph S. Nye is an article emphasizing the changing role in the political view and how to take advantage in the new century in which old-fashioned political are not helpful. In the new era, leaders need to have both soft and hard power, including attractiveness, legitimacy and credibility, to be ahead in international affairs. In this article, the author defines power in international settings. In defining power, one cannot measure without knowing the background of the behavior of others. In the modern era, technology has changed the dimension of international power. The traditional authentic politics of the military and economic power have been converted into cyber-dimension based on technology. It has both positive and negative aspects, but it helps spreading nationalism. This trend marks a changing point of view of the role of traditional power. Internet communication has shaped both political dialogues and civilization conflicts. Therefore, countries have to reconsider the power of technology as the changing shift in the interaction between soft and hard power. In defining power, I accept humorously that power is just like love: easier to experience than to define...
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...different development models that China and India embrace. It is easy to find works contrasting the two countries’ economic reforms, political systems, social progress and human development, yet direct comparison between China and India’s building of soft power is lacking. However, the understanding of how China and India build their soft power strength is essential as the two Asian giants, both of which have splendid cultures and a long history, are on the rise and eager to shine in the world stage. To address such inadequacy, this paper intends to present an assessment on China and India’s soft power building and find out who has the lead in the race. 1.2 Structure of the Study The paper is divided into several sections. It begins with a literature review that goes over studies on China and India’s soft power strength. Then, it proceeds to explain the key concept “soft power” using Nye’s classic theoretical framework. Concerning the different nature of the three soft power resources, the three main parts of the paper are organized in different ways. As for the discussion of culture as a soft power resource, the paper focuses on the events, actions, and behaviors that reveal China and India’s efforts to enhance their soft power strength by exploiting their cultural resources. As for political values, more weight is...
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...The Powers of Democracy Darius Jones-Craven October 27, 2014 Savannah State University Soft power is the persuasive approach to international relations, typically involving the use of economic or cultural influence. This concept was developed by Joseph Nye of Harvard University and is used the term has also been used in changing and influencing social and public opinion through relatively less transparent channels and lobbying through powerful political and non-political organizations. Soft power lies in the ability to attract and persuade. Over the past decade, China’s economic and military might has grown impressively, and this has frightened its neighbors into looking for allies to balance rising Chinese hard power. But if a country can also increase its soft power, its neighbors feel less need to seek balancing alliances. China has always had an attractive traditional culture, and now it has created several hundred Confucius Institutes around the world to teach its language and culture. There is one being implemented here at Savannah state University on October 28th 2014. China is not known for their soft powers but for their hard powers which consist of their money and military strength. Hard power is the use of military and economic means to influence the behavior or interests of other political bodies. This form of power is much more aggressive approach than the soft power where the soft power is more of a cultural influence rather than a forceful power. India which...
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...Soft power refers to the ability of a nation to obtain outcomes that it desires through persuasion and more notably, attraction. Conversely, hard power refers to power obtained through coercion. Through various methods, India and China are two nations that have experienced an extreme increase in their position as soft powers. China has provided an attractive model for many other nations by serving as proof that modernization and westernization are not synonymous. The nation’s relationship focused culture and their ability to remain focused solely on business relationships and stay segregated from the governmental practices of their international partners adds to the attractiveness for some nations. Additionally, Confucius Institutes located around the world contribute to linguistic, historical, and cultural awareness. India also has a rich culture of which awareness is promoted through cultural centers around the world. It’s widespread influence can be depicted through the success of Indian cuisine, technology, Bollywood, and even yoga practices. India has transformed into a modernized democracy, attracting much attention through its large pool of English speaking workers in combination with its high-tech information technology abilities. These qualities have given rise to the expanding Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry in India. This industry has allowed for the increase of India’s confidence in the global arena and has provided a starting point for further expansion...
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...Japan in Asia: A Hard Case for Soft Power by Thomas U. Berger Thomas Berger is an associate professor of International Relations at Boston University. he concept of ‘‘soft power’’—defined by Joe Nye as ‘‘the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than through coercion’’1— has proven a seductive one for Japan. Since the concept was popularized in the 1990s, Japanese scholars and policymakers have enthusiastically taken it up, eagerly exploring how Japan’s soft power resources could be exploited to burnish Japan’s image in the world and help reshape its environment in subtle but important ways. Some—perhaps encouraged by the new attention given to the popularity of Japanese anime and manga, and by the general buzz about ‘‘Cool Japan’’—have even described Japan as a ‘‘Soft Power Superpower.’’2 It sometimes seemed, in more overheated moments, that Pokemon and Sailor Moon would conquer the world, succeeding where the Imperial Army and Navy had failed.3 That soft power would prove attractive is unsurprising. Although Japan has considerable hard power resources, it has shown great reluctance to actually use them in the way that students of international relations would T 1 The idea was originally advanced by in Joseph Nye, Bound to Lead: The Changing Nature of American Power (New York: Basic Books, 1990). He has since expanded on the concept in Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics (New York: Public Affairs, 2004). 2 See the very useful volume by...
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...Nikki Callanta Dr. Gloria Guevara Politics 101 28 February 2013 Political Power Power has been something mankind has endlessly fought for from our very beginning. And though we’ve come a long way from war-waging territorial disputes to form the great countries we have now, it’s something we still use greatly today whether it be something small such as being head of household or head of the company. In this paper I will be discussing possibly the greatest power there is: political power. To start, let’s define what power is. Power in relation to politics is the driving force of politics. Without power our governments could not function. In politics, power has many sources which include a large population, thriving economy, united society and wise leadership. Political power is usually seen as national wealth or even military spending and it is never equally distributed. (Magdstadt 3,4) So now, what is politics? Politics is puzzling and for the most part goes unrecognized, but most of us can see it when it is put to the test. We as a community select a certain few and empower them, (Magdstadt 3) so that they can convey what it is that we want, and who can provide us with what we need. People can participate in politics, by voicing their opinion on how things should be enforced. They can do this by participating in elections or partaking in a referendum when they believe something should be changed. (Magdstadt 274, 280) This affects public interest because politics is first...
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...be exchanged, traded or spent. Two different types of currency exist: hard and soft. This paper will discuss the differences between hard and soft currencies. Hard Currency Hard currency refers to a globally traded currency that is reliable and stable and has value. Factors that determined if a currency is considered “hard” are political solidity, low inflation, reliable monetary and fiscal policies, support of precious metals, and long-term stable appraisal against other countries. Hard currency is the most adaptable and easily traded. Countries can consider it an honor to have a hard currency. Acquiring a hard currency status means that the country has a strong economy, stable government and strength in it’s military. Stable Government America has very little chance of revolution or an invasion that would displace the government or stability of the country. America has one of the strongest governments in the world. Having a strong, stable government contributes to the hard currency status. Also the currency must be able to be bartered and traded in other countries. If you travel around the world, there aren’t many countries that will not accept an American dollar. Few other countries have stable governments like the United States of America. The United States dollar, Euro, Swiss franc, British pound sterling, Canadian dollar, Japanese yen and the Australian dollar are all considered hard currencies. Inflation Little or lack of...
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