Soft power is a form of political power, implying a capability to achieve the desired results via voluntary participation, proclivity and attractiveness. This method is opposed to hard power, which includes coercion. The term’s author, Joseph S. Nye, states that a country’s language and culture present soft power, which plays a crucial role in foreign affairs and influences the world politics and business relationships directly or bias. This way, the purpose of this paper is to get acquainted with Joseph Nye’s article The Decline of America’s Soft Power and analyze whether soft power can be useful for a nation’s strategic objectives.
Matching Joseph Nye’s views and the current worldwide situation, the necessity of developing soft powers is apparent. Apart from the U.S.A., all other most powerful states, such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, China and others, have elaborated their strategy in accordance with this theory. Nowadays, dividing the spheres of influence presents a pressing concern, which needs to be addressed without military intervention. Elsewise, the encounter of leading states’ military powers means the threat of another world war and considerable damages. Under the circumstances, the significance of soft power cannot be underestimated (Nye, 2004). Moreover, it is essential to use all its instruments in conjunction with a country’s economic, political, and military powers. This way, a nation’s strategy may be viable and fruitful.
In conclusion, soft power appears to be relevant in the current environment. It presents a significant compound of national power and an effective instrument of influence. However, soft power cannot be the only country’s source of power and should be used in a suit with other powers in order to achieve the best results. Therefore, soft power can be beneficial for a nation’s strategic objectives.
Reference
Nye, J. (2004). The decline of America’s soft power: Why Washington should worry. Foreign Affairs, 83(3), 16-20. Web.