The Obsolescence of Soft Power: An In-depth Analysis of Joseph Nye's Concept and Trump's Impact
'US Political Scientist Joseph Nye, renowned for his theory on 'Soft Power', passes away at 88 years old' - Renowned American political scientist Joseph Nye passes away at 88 years old.
From 1964 until his demise, Nye was a faculty member at the highly regarded Harvard University, penning 14 books and over 200 scholarly articles. He served in the national security sector under former US presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Throughout his career, Nye explored various topics such as arms control and Pan-Africanism. However, he gained prominence in the 1980s with his concept of "soft power."
Unlike "hard power," which encompasses state power factors like military spending, weapons, and economic sanctions, Nye's "soft power" refers to the ability to "make others want what you want." He cited examples like the growing US influence in Latin America when former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented a "Good Neighbor Policy."
Trump's administration has noticeably dismantled key instruments of soft power by cutting back or eliminating programs that promote democracy, human rights, and cultural influence abroad, such as the Peace Corps, Voice of America, and USAID. This retreat has damaged the three pillars of soft power as defined by Joseph Nye: attractive values, perceptions of policy competence, and cultural attraction.
Domestically, the administration's actions—characterized by corruption, disregard for constitutional norms, and the undermining of liberal democratic values—have made the U.S. less of a beacon and less attractive as a global model. This decline in normative appeal weakens America's ability to lead by example and to win the hearts and minds of people worldwide.
Upon stepping into the Oval Office in 2017, Trump considerably reduced soft power measures, such as cutting foreign aid and tightening restrictions on international students in the US. Simultaneously, he bolstered hard power measures like increased military spending and sanctions.
Criticizing the administration's strategy in an interview with AFP, Nye famously declared, "Trump doesn't really understand power. He only thinks in terms of coercion and payment." Nye added that the President confuses short-term results with long-term effects. "Harsh coercive power (like the threat of tariffs) may work in the short term, but it creates long-term incentives for others to reduce their dependence on the USA."
Nye made significant contributions during his tenure with Carter and Clinton's administrations, particularly in nuclear policy. According to his long-time Harvard colleague, Graham Allison, Nye will also be remembered for "contributing intellectually and practically to preventing a nuclear war."
- Soft Power
- Hard Power
- Attractive Values
- Policy Competence
- Cultural Attraction
- Trump
- America's Global Influence
- Foreign Aid
- Jimmy Carter
- Bill Clinton
- 1980s
- Diplomacy
Research:- Trump's administration has dismantled key instruments of American soft power by cutting back or eliminating programs that promote democracy, human rights, and cultural influence abroad.- The long-term effects of former President Trump's emphasis on hard power measures combined with a significant reduction in soft power initiatives have reshaped U.S. foreign policy and global influence.- A transactional, hard power-heavy diplomacy has alienated allies and made the U.S. less indispensable internationally, ceding influence to powers like China and the EU.- In the long term, the Trump administration’s focus on hard power to the detriment of soft power has diminished U.S. global standing, making it more difficult to maintain leadership, influence, and alliances worldwide.
- Despite Trump's focus on hard power measures such as military spending and economic sanctions, his administration's drastic reduction in soft power initiatives like foreign aid and cultural programs has significantly reshaped US foreign policy and global influence.
- The long-term effects of Trump's emphasis on hard power, combined with a reduction in soft power efforts, have alienated allies and made the US less indispensable internationally, allowing powers like China and the EU to gain influence.
- Joe Nye, the US political scientist who coined the concept of soft power during the 1980s under former presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, warned that Trump's transactional diplomacy often confuses short-term gains with long-term implications, creating incentives for other nations to reduce their dependence on the USA.
