The strength of soft power

Home ยป The Paradox of American Power: Why the World's Only Superpower Can't Go It Alone

Stephen A. Haines @ 2004-02-26

The Paradox of American Power: Why the World's Only Superpower Can't Go It Alone

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With a solid background in international relations, Nye argues for stronger multilateral policies for the USA. He cautions that America must not let its strength in military power overshadow needs to be met through other means. Military might, he argues, is not enough to keep his nation paramount. Other forms of power are available to retain the US as a strong nation without the cost of alienating others. Excessive unilateralism, he contends, only builds resentments. While those resentments may be kept in check by military or even economic might, that kind of supremacy cannot be expected to continue. New, powerful alliances can be
cemented by those with a common cause. The "paradox", then, is that the US must maintain military strength while building up ways of avoiding the need to use it. Otherwise, superiority will be simply self-eroding.

Nye terms other forms of meaningful strength, "soft" power. Some of these are use of NGOs [non-governmental organisations], health care and education support, and information distribution. He takes seriously the growth of the Internet as a major force in imparting and applying soft power ideas. It's not a simplistic "pen mightier than the sword" proposal, but stops little short of that cliche. In Nye's view, "soft power" is an attractor - it helps people feel comfortable and allows viewpoints to relax and reduces confrontation. The best foreign policy is to encourage people to want to do what you want them to do. Soft power can accomplish this end without alienating others nor eroding your own position, he explains.

Nye's thesis is well thought out and ably presented. It's not a sermon about what is wrong with present or past US administrations. In fact, it's a book that could be read profitably by any number and styles of government. Every nation has some form of foreign policy, quite apart from whatever military or economic power it maintains. Helping others to agree on what is mutually beneficial is the ultimate zero-sum game. Getting the negotiators to achieve that end means applying the process Nye outlines here. That his proposals have been ignored by the current US administration doesn't invalidate this book. Indeed, it merely shows how more people should be reading this and urging their governments to give it heed. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]