In an earlier work, Joseph S. Nye introduced the concept of “soft”
power. It contrasts with “hard” power, which consists
primarily of
military capability. Key elements of soft power are such things as
cultural values and beliefs. According to Nye, the United States will
have to rely more upon its soft power in coming years to find solutions
to problems facing the world. It cannot unilaterally compel others to
follow its lead. That’s the paradox of power reflected in the book’s
title. Instead, in order to exert power, the United States will have to
become adept at exercising its soft power.While recognizing
that in the post-Cold War era the United States possessed immense
power—military, economic and cultural—it needs to realize that
possession of that power does not necessarily guarantee the ability to
solve singlehandedly problems such as the destruction of the
environment, the spread of illegal drugs around the world, or the
growth of trafficking in human beings. Solutions to those types of
problems will require working in cooperation with other
countries and
international organizations (both public and private).As Nye
sees it, the United States’ task in the age of globalization is to get
other countries and people to want the same things as it does. Already
it has seen the appeal of such things as Hollywood movies, jeans,
Coca-Cola, and other faces of its popular culture. As younger
generations in countries far and wide clamor for those items, the
United States should persuade them to adopt beliefs and values which
are compatible with its own. Further, issues should be cast in terms of
what’s best for the international community as a whole, and not what is
most beneficial to one particular country or group of countries.