Soft Power: The Path to Success in Global Politics

Author: Joseph Nye
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: "This is an important and profound contribution by a scholar in the field of American international political science to a deeper understanding of international politics and the formulation of more wise foreign policy." — Zbigniew Brzezinski (zbigniewbrzezinski) "When Joseph Nye introduced the term 'soft power' a decade ago, it changed the way we analyze global affairs. In this important new book, he explains why, in a world of free information flow and facing the threat of terrorism, it is crucial to exert influence through our strong cultural and ideological appeal, rather than relying solely on the hard power of military and economic strength. With clear examples and outstanding analysis, he shows how squandering soft power will become America's most dangerous failure. Everyone who wants to see our values prevail should read this book." — Walter Isaacson (Walterlsaacson), President of the Aspen Institute, Author of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life Soft Power is the new work of Joseph Nye, Dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, which was hailed by industry insiders and the media, including Zbigniew Brzezinski, before its official publication in the United States. Since Joseph Nye pioneered the theory of soft power in the early 1990s, it has become a global sensation in the political arena. Soft Power uses the Iraq War as a starting point, weaving soft power as a thread to criticize the construction of a new global order through military, force, and violence, advocating that only through the bridges of civilization, culture, values, lifestyles, and other soft powers can success be continuously achieved on the international political stage. In a world where countries are striving to protect their independence rather than international organizations tending to resort to violence, the role of hard power remains crucial. This forms the core of the Bush administration's new national security strategy. However, according to Joseph Nye's insights, there is a major judgment error by the conservative analysts who advise the President: they place too much emphasis on using American military power to force other countries to act according to our wishes, while paying almost no attention to the role of soft power. It is precisely soft power that can help prevent terrorists from recruiting support from the majority of moderates. It is soft power that helps us address global major issues of multilateral cooperation between countries. This is why it is crucial for the United States to better understand and utilize soft power. This is our guide.