Changing nature of power: hard, soft and smart

Recent debates about the changing nature of power has reflected more on the CHANGING MECHANISMS, rather than the emergence of conceptually new forms of power.

CHANGE WITHIN HARD POWER:

• There has been a general SHIFT in power from military to ECONOMIC power.
• Military power is the traditional CURRENCY of WORLD POLITICS, which is supported by REALISTS.
  • Realists believe that security & survival is structured above all.
• This has been CHALLENGED by NEOLIBERALS who argued that growing TRADE LINKS & increasing INTERDEPENDENCE make inter-state war more COSTLY & LESS LIKELY.
• Therefore, making MILITARY POWER less important and less reliable.

Hard power is the 'command power', which is the:

• Ability to change what others do through the use of INDUCEMENT or THREATS.
• This includes:
  • Force
  • Sanctions
  • Payments
  • Bribes
• This involves MILITARY  or ECONOMIC POWER
• Military 'STICKS' or economic 'CARROTS'.
• However, the use of hard power may RISK the LOSS of the HEARTS & MINDS.
• E.g. Bush's approach to the WAR ON TERROR, and the 2003 INVASION OF IRAQ- this increased ANTI-AMERICANISM.

Soft power is CO-OPTIVE POWER, which is:

• The ability to SHAPE PREFERENCES of others, through ATTRACTION, rather than coercion (Nye).
• Soft power usually operates largely through:
  • CULTURE
  • POLITICAL IDEALS
  • FOREIGN POLICIES
• Therefore soft power involves the media and largely depends on cultural globalisation.
  • E.g. Spread of liberal democracy in the Middle East-Arab Spring
• Examples of the use of soft power:
  • Vatican
  • The Dalai Lama
  • Canada
  • Norway

There has been a shift of power from hard to soft because:

• The growth of interdependence and interconnectedness has led to more people around the world seeing, hearing and knowing more, than they did before globalisation.
  • This has been enabled through the rise of technology and spread of media (enabled from industrialisation)- 24/7 news.
• Cultural globalisation:
  • This is the increasing cross-border flows of images, information and ideas, which has made it easier for people to form their own judgements about the culture and values of other states, alongside foreign & domestic policies of their govt.
• Therefore, a state can influence its power through knowledge on its culture and foreign policies etc, without the use of a military.
• A growing interconnectedness means states are less likely to go to war, as knolwedge of their cultures could lead to harmony.

Examples of soft power being used, showing the shift from hard to soft power:

• The spread of democracy to the MIDDLE EAST:
  • The spread of the media enabled news stations, such as Quatar News etc to advertise liberal democracy, and let people of the Middle East see another culture and way of life.
  • This led to the ESTABLISHMENT of FREE & FAIR ELECTIONS in EGYPT & TUNISIA, by its people PROTESTNG against the regime.
  • However, military intervention occurs in Libya because of this.
• China trying to establish the ECFA through soft power:
  • Diplomacy and influence-tourism etc.
• CHINA, RUSSIA & USA have all INCREASED SPENDING on INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING.
• USA spread liberalsim through LIBERAL INSTITUTIONS:
  • UN/IMF/EU

There are 2 opposing views on hard and soft power:

• JOSEPH NYE believes that:
  • A state with ENORMOUS ECONOMIC & MILITARY CAPACITY, may UNDERCUT its SOFT POWER, by ADOPTING CO-ERCIVE POLICIES towards others.
  • This means that states with the hard power will definetly use it to influence other states and show its power, instead of soft power.
  • E.g. USA- shows hegemonic status by largest military and economic power- nuclear weapons etc.

• SAMUEL HUNTINGTON:
  • Soft power REQUIRES a foundation of HARD POWER, CULTURE & IDEOLOGY to become ATTRACTIVE when they are seen as tooted in MATERIAL SUCCESS & INFLUENCE.
  • E.g. USA- hegemon
  • E.g. STALIN able to spread COMMUNISM in CW through its nuclear capacity, media, ideology- seen as a better alternative to capitalism