Joseph Nye coined the term soft power in the late 1980s. It is now used
frequently--and often incorrectly--by political leaders, editorial
writers, and academics around the world. So what is soft power? Soft
power lies in the ability to attract and persuade. Whereas hard
power--the ability to coerce--grows out of a country's military or
economic might, soft power arises from the attractiveness of a country's
culture, political ideals, and policies.
Hard power remains crucial in a world of states trying to guard their
independence and of non-state groups willing to turn to violence. It
forms the core of the Bush administration's new national security
strategy. But according to Nye, the neo-conservatives who advise the
president are making a major miscalculation: They focus too heavily on
using America's military power to force other nations to do our will,
and they pay too little heed to our soft power. It is soft power that
will help prevent terrorists from recruiting supporters from among the
moderate majority. And it is soft power that will help us deal with
critical global issues that require multilateral cooperation among
states. That is why it is so essential that America better understands
and applies our soft power. This book is our guide.
