Joseph S. Nye Jr. has many complementary arguments in his two books �The Paradox of American Power� and �Soft Power�. First of the most important arguments is that there are two main types of power: hard command power, which consists of military and economic power, and soft power. In terms of hard military power, the United States is unmatched, especially after the conclusion of the Cold War. Although Russia is a potential challenger as it is the only state with enough missiles to destroy the United States, the likely result is a Russia still weaker than America because of its weak internal institutions. China and India poses a threat, but that is all there is. Japan, because it has to deal with hostile neighbors such as North Korea, is likely to continue keeping its security alliance with the United States. In Nye�s words, the European Union is closest to an equal with the United States, but because of shared values, conflict is unlikely. But if there will be conflict, only a distancing between the two is likely, and not sharp divorce.
This also goes in terms of economic power. Nye enumerated instances such as seven of the top ten brands are American, and that some of its transnational corporations have higher Gross National Products than some states. soft power is also in the United States� favor. The current world order is one where American institutions, ideals, policies and even culture are the mainstream. Furthermore, the world speaks in America�s language and moves markets with the United States dollar. No one can deny the influence of CNN, Hollywood or Michael Jordan, so Nye says. Indeed, the United States seem to be at the apex of superpowerdom. But even if all things seem to work in their favor, Nye warns that the information revolution, much as it empowers America and other states, also empowers nongovernmental actors, terrorists included. Things previously controlled by states alone are more dispersed and easily accessed today, all because of information revolution and globalization. Weber�s definition of the state, with the monopoly of the legitimate use of force as its defining characteristic, is challenged. This is Nye�s second most important argument.
The Essay on Federal v. State Power
As citizens of the United States we exist under a federal system of government. There are different levels of the system, each cooperating with the next and each having some form of formal authority over the people. The age long argument has been: “more state power is most effective – no, more federal power is most effective”. There are also those who believe that an equal cooperation between both ...
To better understand the information revolution, Nye compared it to the industrial revolution of the early 1900s. What shook the world in unimaginable magnitude before was the discovery of electricity and steam engine; now it is the Internet. With the World Wide Web, information access is easy as one-two-three. With a click of a button, hundreds of pages of information are transmitted to the user. Also, the Internet makes organization easy. It makes simultaneous and synchronized terrorist attacks possible. The information revolution has also made boundaries porous, distances shorter, and costs at a minimum. Nye cites an intercontinental phone call as an example. Before, a call from Britain to America would cost around USD 250. Now, it is only a few dollars and some cents. More important is that information revolution is developing faster than the industrial revolution did. America must know how to use these novel technologies the way it did when Henry Ford utilized electricity and engine to create the car.
The Term Paper on Joseph Nye’s Soft Power and Hard power
... especially through technology and globalization. Similarly, the sources of power have also changed in regards to the type. Nye explains ‘soft power’ as a method ... expects to successfully influence its interests around the world. In fact, as America’s strong Military power has increased, “its ability to persuade is ...
Another thing which America has to consider is globalization. This is not new. According to Nye, it has been around as early as the height of the ancient Egyptian civilization. He cites environmental interdependence as one of the old forms of globalization. The spread of infectious diseases such as smallpox, Black Death, and the more recent Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Acute Immune Deficiency Syndrome may cost governments billions to eradicate. Military globalization is also not new. History is full of alliances and military interdependences, from the ancient nation-states of Greece to recent partnerships such as the United States-Japan security alliance. Social globalization, which is the spread of culture, is not new either. The �American life�, which focuses on individualism, liberty and democracy, has been around for hundreds of years now, but still, it is taking over the world. However, Nye says it is incorrect to equate globalization to Americanization. This is his third most important argument. In many cases America is not the perpetrator. He cites examples such as the spread of English, greenhouse gases and democracy. Nye also says that the openness of the American society, as well as its diversity, makes it attractive. For this reason, the world has also come to accept the values of the United States, aside from reasons of convenience.
Last of Nye�s most important arguments is that smart power is neither hard nor soft power. It is both. Therefore, the United States must learn to strike a balance between hard and soft power to continue its current performance. Nye goes on to argue that in the world today, soft power is increasingly more important than hard power. America seems to miss this very crucial point in the making of its policies, especially after September 11. America�s decision to invade Iraq has undercut its soft power. All over the world there have been protests against this stance taken by the world�s only superpower, and in a way these challenge its legitimacy as a world leader. However, this is not to say that America should not and would not be in decline. Nye is open to such an idea. But point is, if America has done it before then it can certainly do it again. America�s current status of power will only continue if it learns not to ignore the importance of soft power vis-à-vis hard power, especially in this rapidly changing world.
The Essay on How the Great Powers Shape the World BOOK REVIEW
"A century?s journey: How the great powers shape the world" For all the claims of globalization, says Robert A. Pastor, a handful of countries still define the world at the end of the 20th century--and will continue to do so in the 21st. This statement infuses new blood into the current foreign policy discussion about the likely arrangement of the foreign policy stage in the 21st century. Many ...
Overall, Nye was consistent in his arguments in both of his books. In fact, reading the second one was a lot easier because the background is the same as that of the first book, except that the second book clarified some aspects of soft power. I find his arguments valid; however I find it difficult to accept that globalization is not Americanization. Though he cited some evidences which I also cited here, I still am not convinced. Almost everything works to their favor. Maybe my dissent is due to the very fact that the United States is very open that it is impossible for them not to demand the same amount of openness from the world. In this regard, I say America is clever. It must have been unconsciously using seduction or attraction than coercion more than Nye thought. Globalization is here and there is no way of escaping it. There is also no way that the Americans will not take advantage of it, especially when the world works in their terms.
The journal articles in class are relatively harder to understand than these books, because America�s foreign policy is all-embracing but differs at a case-to-case basis. Nye�s books concentrated on the United States� �personal� behavior, which is crucial to understanding its behavior toward others. For example, America�s status as the strongest military power, which was well expounded in the books, helps to explain why the United States took an aggressive stance on Iraq and not on North Korea. Also, knowing where America�s soft power comes from helps to understand why it is so influential, say, in Japan or even in the Philippines.
