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Hard Power vs. Soft Power

Tsuneo Akaha

October 22, 2008

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Three Ways to Influence Others

coercion (sticks)

payments (carrots)persuasion (soft power)

what matters is to effectively combine theseelements of power =smart power.

(Joseph S. Nye, Jr.,Think Again: Soft Power,Foreign Policy online edition.)

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Defining Soft Power

the ability to get "others to want the outcome that

you want" and "it rests on the ability to shape the

preferences of others.(Joseph S. Nye, Jr., SoftPower: The Means to Success in World Politics,

New York: Public Affairs, 2004, p. 4.)

"attractive power," the power to induce others to

do what you want them to do without forcing themto do so. (Ibid., p. 6.)

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Three Sources of A Nations

Soft Power Its culture when it is seen as attractive by

others

Its political values when it behavesconsistently with those values at home andabroad

Its foreign policies when others see it aslegitimate and moral.(Nye, Jr., Soft Power: The Means to Success in WorldPolitics, New York: Public Affairs, 2004, p. 11)

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Relations between Hard and

Soft Power Can a nation exercise soft power without

hard power? Does hard power support soft

power? Does an increase in hard powernecessarily translate to an increase in soft

power? Conversely, does a decline in the

first cause a drop in the second type ofpower?

There is no consensus on these questions.

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Two Opposing Views

Joseph Nye, Jr.: "Sometimes countries enjoy political cloutthat is greater than their military and economic weightwould suggest because they define their national interest toinclude attractive causes such as economic aid or

peacekeeping." (Nye, Jr., Soft Power, p. 9.) A country

with enormous hard economic and military power mayundercut its soft power by adopting coercive policiestoward others.

Samuel P. Huntington: soft power requires a foundation ofhard power. Culture and ideology become attractive"when they are seen as rooted in material success andinfluence.(Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash ofCivilizations and the Remaking of World Order, NewYork: Touchstone, 1996, p. 92.)

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Limits of Soft Power Power as an attribute or relations

Power is in the eyes of the beholder, soft power more sothan hard power.

Non-accessibility of soft power

Many elements of soft power are beyond the control of political

leaders or policymakers and not readily available as instruments ofpolicy.

Non-fungibility of power

Soft power may not be able to substitute for hard power.

Non-transferability of soft power: It is time/space-bound.

Yesterdays soft power may not be effective or appropriate todayor tomorrow. What passes as soft power in one place may not inanother.

Long-term investment required for building soft power

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Russias Hard and Soft Power Evidence?

How is it expressed? What is the balance betweenhard and soft power?

Sources?

Are they strengthening or weakening? Is Russiamaking proper investment in its future hard andsoft power?

Effectiveness?

How do others see it? Is Russia balancing the hardwith soft power effectively and appropriately?

Limitations? Is Russia aware of the limitations of its power?