The Best Way to Reach Consensus Among States Today: Soft Power and Hard Power

Alberto Mudjadju"

The relationship between soft power and hard power is fundamental to understanding the dynamics of international relations and how states exert influence on the global stage. Soft power refers to a state's ability to exert influence through non-coercive means such as culture, values, diplomacy, and humanitarian aid. Its main characteristics are attraction, which aims to gain the sympathy that a country or organization can generate in others. It is also characterized by persuasion, where it seeks to persuade other countries or organizations to adopt a certain policy or position. Finally, it is characterized by influence, with the mission of influencing the decisions and actions of other countries or organizations. Soft power has its sources or origins in culture, politics, economics, and education. A country's culture, including its music, art, literature, and values, can be a source or origin of soft power; a country's foreign policy, including its diplomacy and international cooperation, can also be a source of soft power; in the economy, its ability to attract investment and trade can also be a source of soft power; education and scientific research are also sources of soft power. Examples of soft power include cultural diplomacy, a source of soft power that seeks to promote a country's culture and values ​​in other countries; just as development aid is a form of soft power that seeks to promote economic and social development in other countries; media influence is also a form of soft power that seeks to promote a country's worldview and values ​​through the media. Soft power can be more cost-effective than the use of force or coercion, as well as be seen as more legitimate than the use of force and may be more sustainable in the long term than the use of force or coercion. In short, soft power is an important tool in international politics, and its effective use can help promote the interests and values ​​of a country or organization.

Hard power refers to the ability to influence or coerce other countries or organizations through the use of force, coercion, or threats. Hard power involves the use of military force or coercion to achieve political objectives, as well as the imposition of the will of one country or organization on others without regard for their opinions or interests. The first example of hard power is military intervention, where a country uses its military force to achieve political objectives in another country. The second example is economic sanctions, where a country uses its economic influence to coerce other countries into adopting a certain policy. Finally, it can be seen in the context of the nuclear threat, where a country uses the threat of nuclear destruction to coerce other countries into adopting a certain policy. This may be the reason for the signing of nuclear non-proliferation agreements, which some countries adhere to and others do not, depending on the objectives of each state. In short, hard power is an important tool in international politics, but its use can have negative consequences and must be used with great caution.  

2025/12/3